


No Direction

by Mica Eli Hall (Mickey_D)



Series: Five Boys and a Girl [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Band Fic, Best Friends, Break Up, Child Abuse, Developing Relationship, F/M, Food, Leaving Home, On the Run, Sexual Content, Travel, X-Factor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 05:55:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 69
Words: 54,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1376344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mickey_D/pseuds/Mica%20Eli%20Hall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the constant screaming fans, stalking paparazzi, and the constant tours, there were five boys and a girl contorting their bodies on a Twister mat. <br/>Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan are five best friends who will randomly break into song while getting up to their usual mischief. Zayn lives next to Millie an eccentric woman who becomes more of a mystery when she takes in her niece suddenly with little explanation for any of the questions asked of her. This niece is a mystery until Zayn becomes her friend-her best friend to be exact. She eventually meets the other four boys, and they become the six amigos, practically inseparable.  <br/>Micaela is just trying to escape her father and live as a comfortable hermit, but becoming friends with five hyper active boys throws a wrench in her plans. The feelings she's beginning to develop aren't helping, especially when there's this Wendy character involved and the possibility that the six of them won't always be together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Zayn, Micaela, and the Night Before

## Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

                She wrapped her arms tightly around her aunt like she did every night while he stood by the foot of the stairs waiting for her. Her aunt squeezed her just as tightly and kissed the top of her niece’s head. She pulled back murmuring goodnight and turning to the stairs. She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt as she walked over to the boy at the foot of the stairs. He took her hand and they walked side by side to her room. Outside her door, her stooped slightly to kiss her cheek. His stubble tickled her skin and she giggled. He loved her laugh; it was so lovely to hear, like his favorite song on repeat. He opened her bedroom door and released her hand. She bounded to her bed, jumping under the covers and turning over to look at him.

                He walked over to her bedside with his hands in his pockets. He smiled at the brown eyes looking eagerly up at him. Kneeling by her, he whispered, “Goodnight, my angel.” He kissed her forehead, nose, and cheeks before he kissed her lips. Her hand gripped the back of his head to keep him close. Slowly he reached back to free himself from her hold. The hurt in her eyes was clear as day.

                “Please stay,” she pleaded in a small voice.

                He closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. She knew he could never deny her when she used that voice. “Okay,” he sighed. When did he get to be such a pushover?

                She smiled as she watched him take his shoes off and head to her dresser. There was always a collection of his clothes in the bottom drawer since he stayed over so often. She would wear them sometimes and he’d comment how adorable or sexy she looked. He changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before crawling into bed next to her. Immediately, she rolled into his arms with her head resting on his chest. “What time do you have to leave tomorrow?” she asked.

                “Early; three or four.”

                “So we should go right to sleep?”

                He smirked though she couldn’t see. “If you think it’d be best.”

                She sighed. “I think you know what I _want_ to do, but know that we can’t.”

                “It’s not like I’ll be able to sleep anyway.”

                She craned her neck so she could look at his face. “You can try though.”

                He shrugged. “I’ll sleep in the car on the way up.”

                She shook her head. “No. We’ll talk until you fall asleep.”

                He hugged her closer. “You won’t stay up that late.”

                She arched an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge?” He simply smiled and shook his head. She shifted so she was resting her head on his chest again. “Do you remember when we met?”

                He laughed out loud. “Of course I do. Why do you ask?”

                “I was so different. I’m surprised you stuck it out.” She smacked herself in the face. “Don’t comment on that last part. I’m being silly.”

                He kissed her forehead. “I love you. That’s why I stuck it out…”


	2. Micaela and the Phone Booth

## Micaela and the Phone Booth

                “Can I get you anything miss?” the flights attendant asked.

                Micaela looked up from her book and shook her head with a smile. The food and drinks had long since been retired and she was craving another Coke to keep her awake, but that wouldn’t be possible. She was scared to go to sleep and have a nightmare again. The man sleeping next to her had kindly paid for the rest of her dinner and she’d hate to make him mad. The flight attendant moved on but not before Micaela thought she caught a look of pity on her face. Micaela sighed and pulled down the sleeve of her sweatshirt to over the yellow green bruise on her forearm.

                Her dad had gotten mad at her for something. He’d been too drunk at the time to explain why he was yelling and yanking her downstairs. She bruised easily as it was, so the rough treatment showed vividly. She’d figured out he was mad about the lack of food in the pantry and he was hungry…

                Micaela returned to her book to clear her head. She was reading _The Outsiders_ for the third time. Micaela blinked at the page in front of her when she realized she was rereading the same sentence again and again. She glanced over at the man sleeping next to her with a little bit of jealousy. Why couldn’t’ she get decent sleep anymore? She rolled her eyes at herself; she knew why she had terrible nightmares that made her scream.

                Against her will, her eyes started to droop and soon she was asleep.

               

                “Miss, are you okay?”

                Someone was gently shaking her, but it was getting rougher the longer she kept her eyes closed. Micaela opened her eyes to meet the same flight attendant from earlier. She could hear people grumbling around her, and she could feel their eyes on her.

                “Are you okay?” the flight attendant asked again.

                Micaela blushed and couldn’t look anyone in the eyes. She nodded to the attendant and fiddled with her hands in her lap as the attendant settled the other passengers. Micaela noticed the sun peeking under the window shades. They had to be landing soon. The pilot turned on the “Fasten Your Seatbelts” sign as the plane shook slightly. The sunlight that had been there moments before melted into a dully gray light. Micaela fumbled with her buckle and then sat looking at her hands. She shouldn’t have fallen asleep.

                “Are you sure you’re okay?” the man next to her asked after a few minutes of quiet.

                Micaela glanced quickly up at him. “Yes. I’m fine.” Her voice squeaked from lack of use.

                She could tell he didn’t believe her, and he was bold enough to ask, “What were you dreaming about?”

                Micaela looked at him with wide eyes and ignored the question. What she dreamt about was none of his business.

                “You’re right. Too personal for a total stranger to know,” he said more to himself than to her. “Are you traveling alone?”               

                Micaela kept her silence. The plane shook again. They were flying through a small storm at the moment. She was not a fan of flying, but it was almost over.

                “Again, I apologize. My friend Finn always tells me I’m too ‘inquisitive’. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

                Micaela gave a slight nod of acknowledgement after he’d stopped talking and went back to staring at her hands. She really wanted to be off this plane.

                “Would you like any breakfast?” The flight attendant sound terrified of her now. Micaela shook her head no. She wasn’t hungry nor did she have money for food.

                “Yes, two breakfasts please,” the man next to her said.

                Micaela closed her eyes. Why did he keep doing things for her?

                The attendant put a plate in front of both of them. Micaela stared at it.

                “It’s best if you eat it warm.”

                “I’m not hungry,” Micaela mumbled.

                He didn’t say anything, but kept eating. Micaela’s stomach ached as she kept staring at the food. She was scared if she ate some she’d get sick and upset everyone again.

                “You’re really not going to eat it?”

                Now she’d upset him by not eating what he’d bought for her even though she hadn’t asked him to. “I’ll eat the fruit.” She reached for the fruit cup and held it close to her chest. “You can eat the rest.”

                She could feel him looking at her strangely, but took the food. She ate slowly, piece by piece, until the fruit was gone. She finished just as the plane began to descend. Her stomach flipped and she regretted eating the little fruit cup. They lowered out of the gray clouds to see a rainy London. Micaela caught a glimpse of the city before closing her eyes. She kept them shut until the plane bounced on the runway and pulled to a stop. Micaela scrambled from her seat to try and get her single bag from the overhead compartment. She was too short. She moved aside so the man could get out. He reached up and got her bag for her before leaving with a simple goodbye. Micaela glared at her bag’s handle. She was useless; too small to do anything right for herself.

                Off the plane, Micaela practically ran out of the airport. She was hit by cold, fat drops of rain as she began walking. Cars sped past, occasionally splashing her legs with water. She only ever glanced up to see what street she was on or to apologize for accidentally bumping into someone. Micaela found an empty phone booth whose pain was slowly chipping and hopped inside. She fished in her pockets for money her aunt had sent her and fed it to the phone. She dialed her aunt’s number praying someone would answer.

                “Hello?”

                “Aunt Millie? It’s Micaela.”

                “Hello dear! You’ve landed I suppose.”

                “Yes. Can you come get me?”

                “Sure thing, babe. Just tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.”


	3. Micaela and Aunt Millie

## Micaela and Aunt Millie

                Aunt Millie’s old blue Ford pulled up to a shop a few feet from the phone booth Micaela was using as shelter from the rain. The young girl dashed from the booth to the car with her bag in tow. Without talking, Aunt Millie stared driving to her house. Micaela crossed her arms over her chest shivering. She was soaking wet from her walk in the rain.

                Aunt Millie broke the silence, “It’s nice to see you finally.” She reached out and turned the heat up.

                “It’s nice to finally be here,” Micaela managed to get past her chattering teeth.

                “Is that all you brought?” Aunt Millie asked.

                Micaela looked down at her bag. “It’s all I have.”

                “Sorry. I should have known that.”

                Micaela let the conversation drop into silence as she studied her aunt. Aunt Millie was tall and slim with striking features. Her aunt used to be a model a long time ago. Micaela remembering looking through magazines at her aunt’s house when she was younger and being amazed that one of the models looked like her aunt. Micaela was most intrigued today by her aunt’s lime green hair. Aunt Millie felt her staring as she self-consciously ran a hand through her hair and said, “Bobby likes it.”

                This prompted Micaela to ask, “Who’s Bobby?”

                “My boyfriend,” Aunt Millie replied.

                Micaela nodded. “I thought you were dating Sam.”

                “No. We broke up…I think it was two weeks ago.”

                “Why did you break up? I thought you were really happy?”

                Aunt Millie smirked. “So did his wife in Cheshire.”

                “Oh.”

                They pulled up to a brick townhouse with a black door and black shutters. “Home sweet home.” Aunt Millie got out of the car and led Micaela inside. Downstairs was very open with the entry way, living room and kitchen leading seamlessly into one another. Before the two ladies was a carpeted staircase leading upstairs. Aunt Millie took Micaela’s bag up to the spare room. “The bathroom is to the right and my room is just over there.” Aunt Millie pointed to a door at the opposite side of the hall. “I’ll let you get settled.” Aunt Millie disappeared downstairs and Micaela turned to her room. The bed was large with plain white sheets and a flower printed quilt. A tall black wardrobe stood on the wall opposite her with a full length mirror next to it. The carpet was soft beneath her feet as she walked further into the room. Her bag was placed on the floor of the wardrobe just as Aunt Millie called her downstairs.

                “Do you like your room?” Aunt Millie asked once Micaela had joined her in the kitchen.

                “Yes. Thank you for letting me stay here.”

                Aunt Millie smiled. “Of course.” She looked over her niece. “Are you hungry?” Micaela’s stomach growled in response. “I’ll whip up a snack, and I’ll warn you now. Tonight is my turn to hose my neighbors for dinner. We eat together once a month. They’re really nice…”

                Micaela paled at her Aunt’s words. She didn’t want to meet anyone. She wanted to be left alone. She trusted her aunt, but these neighbors were strangers. How could she trust them? New people gave looks of pity and pretended like they wanted to care about her. Micaela didn’t want that.

                “...I think they have a boy around your age–Micaela are you okay?” Her aunt now noticed how unsteady her niece was.

                “Do I have to meet them? Can I just stay in my room?”

                “At least let me introduce you please?”

                Micaela began anxiously scratching at her wrist as she thought. She didn’t want to disappoint her aunt. What if she decided to send her back home? Micaela did not want to go home. Aunt Millie really wanted to introduce her. Did she want to show her off like a new pet? Was she just some charity case meant to boost people’s opinions of her aunt? Micaela’s eyes flickered to her aunt who was watching her curiously. Aunt Millie would never use someone like that. Micaela lowered her eyes to the floor and quietly said, “I’ll meet them.”

                Aunt Millie shook her head. “No you won’t, not tonight. You’ll leave your room or do whatever you want whenever you want, sweetie. Here,” she handed Micaela a plate, “take some nachos. If you get hungry later, feel free to join us.”

                Micaela nodded and went to her room.


	4. Aunt Millie and the Maliks

## Aunt Millie and the Maliks

                The oven had ten minutes left on it when the doorbell rang. Aunt Millie smoothed her tropical flower apron over her jeans before she answered the door. The Malik family stood on the other side. Mister and Missus Malik greeted Aunt Millie pleasantly while their kids tumbled inside. Waliyha entered first in a polka-dot raincoat, then Doniya who was followed by Zayn who was carrying Safaa.

                “Now Safaa, you’re a big girl. Why is your brother carrying you?”

                Safaa looked up at her neighbor. “I didn’t want to get my new rain boots wet.”

                Aunt Millie pursed her lips and examined the aforementioned boots. “Good idea.” Zayn put his younger sister down and helped her out of her coat. When he stood up, Aunt Millie addressed him. “Zayn you get taller every time I see you.”

                “He’s already taller than Doniya, and she’s older,” Waliyha said.

                “Amazing,” Aunt Millie said playfully. “I brought my old dolls down to the living room for you two to play with so run along,” Aunt Millie told Waliyha and Safaa. They scampered off already planning who would play who. “Dinner will be ready in ten so we can all make ourselves comfortable.” They joined the other two girls in the living room. Dolls and doll clothes were already scattered about.

                “Doniya, will you play the mommy and the daddy?” Waliyha asked.

                “Why do I have to play both? Zayn can play the daddy,” Doniya suggested.

                Waliyha wrinkled her nose. “But he’s a boy. Boys don’t play with dolls.”

                Safaa ignored her sister and walked over to Zayn who was sitting on the couch. “Zayn, will you play the daddy, please?” she asked with her best puppy dog eyes.

                Zayn smiled. “Of course I’ll play.” He sank down next to Doniya and picked up the only boy doll in the room.

                “I thought your niece was getting here today,” Mrs. Malik said to Aunt Millie.

                “She is here, but she was tired from all the travel so she’s upstairs.”

                “I’m sure we’ll meet her soon then,” Mrs. Malik said cheerfully.

                “How long is she staying?” Mr. Malik asked.

                “She’s actually going to be living with me for a while.”

                “Really?” Mrs. Malik asked. “Why?”

                Aunt Millie cleared her throat. “It’s complicated.”

                Mister and Missus Malik got the point and dinner was ready before another conversation could start. The Maliks tried to help Aunt Millie get dinner to the table, but she insisted they sit down. Tonight they were having lasagna with garlic bread and salad. As she was serving and chatting, Aunt Millie caught a squeak on the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Micaela’s shadow. She let her niece be for the moment though she was curious why Micaela had decided to come down at all after this afternoon.

                “So will you niece be going to school while she’s here?” Mrs. Malik inquired.

                Aunt Millie frowned, but refrained from commenting. They wanted to meet their new neighbor badly. When Millie had mentioned it last time, the girls were excited to have a new friend on their street, and even Zayn seemed a little curious about her. There was an even thicker cloud of secrecy surrounding the mysterious girl now.

                Waliyha was the first to finish her dinner. “What’s for dessert?”

                “Don’t be rude,” Doniya chastised.

                “Key lime pie,” Aunt Millie replied to Waliyha.

                “Yummy,” Waliyha sighed swinging her feet back and forth under the table.

                As they all finished, the kids helped Aunt Millie clear the table and pass our dessert. Aunt Millie could now clearly see Micaela sitting on the stairs. Her niece’s curiosity must have gotten the better of her. Aunt Millie caught Micaela’s eyes and thought she made a subtle motion to come here. Micaela looked shocked and a little scared, but before she could make her escape, Safaa had noticed and exclaimed, “Look Waliyha! There she is!” The entire table looked at the girl stuck on the stairs.

                Aunt Millie went to her niece to talk to her. The younger girls were openly gawking while the tow older children and adults took more discreet glances. Aunt Millie turned and walked towards the table leaving empty stairs behind her. Everyone was quiet as they waited for Aunt Millie to say something. “I’d like to introduce my niece Micaela.”

                A small girl with brown hair pulled into a tight bun stepped out from behind her aunt. She only glanced up once to say a barely audible hello. Aunt Millie whispered something in her ear and she raised her head.

                “Micaela, this is Mister and Missus Malik, Safaa, Waliyha, Doniya, and Zayn.”


	5. Zayn and Louis

## Zayn and Louis

                Zayn met Louis outside his house in Louis’ car. They were going to meet Harry and Liam to get Niall from the airport. Niall was coming to visit his cousin Wendy for the summer and the boys had volunteered to pick him up. Zayn hoped Wendy would be home when they dropped Niall off. The others knew he had the biggest crush on Niall’s cousin and they teased him mercilessly. Teasing…maybe that was why Miss Millie’s niece was so shy. Maybe she got teased back home, though there wasn’t much to tease he about except how small she was. Zayn’s brow creased as he thought which didn’t go unnoticed by Louis.

                “Thinking about Wendy again?” Louis asked.

                “No.”

                Louis took his eyes off the road to throw a surprised look at his friend. “Really?”

                “Yeah. I’m allowed to think about other things.”

                “I know, but what are you thinking about if you’re not thinking about Wendy?”

                Zayn rolled his eyes. “My neighbor’s niece arrived yesterday.”

                “Is she good looking?”

                Zayn wrinkled his nose. “She’s fourteen and little.”

                The conversation dropped as they stopped outside Harry’s house. Louis laid on the horn, not relenting until two brown haired boys were racing to the car. Louis smiled and waved at a pleasantly annoyed Mrs. Styles before driving off.

                “So what time is our leprechaun getting here?” Harry asked.

                “11:55,” Liam responded.

                “Are you ever not on top of anything?” Harry asked before he and the others snickered while Liam blushed at Harry’s slight innuendo.

                Niall was waiting outside for them when they pulled up to the airport. Louis popped open the trunk for him, then Niall squeezed into the backseat with Harry and Liam. “What’s up lads?”

                “Nothing,” Liam said.

                “My sister’s at summer camp,” Louis said.

                “I asked Shelby out and she said yes,” Harry admitted.

                The boys shouted with surprise and congratulations, each of them happy Harry’s pining had finally turned into a relationship.

                “You still hung up on my cousin?” Niall asked Zayn.         

                “Of course,” Zayn admitted proudly.

                “But I think his neighbor’s niece–”

                “Micaela,” Zayn interjected.

                Louis smiled. “I think Micaela might change that.”

                “I told you she wouldn’t. She’s too little,” Zayn grumbled.

                Harry reached over the seat and patted Zayn’s head. “There, there mate.”

                “How little are we talking?” Liam asked warily.

                “It’s not like that, Liam. She’s fourteen.”

                “That’s not terrible,” Niall said, Harry nodding along with him.

                “Guys, I don’t like her like that.” His tone made them drop the subject and switch to what they were going to do after dropping Niall off.

                “What if we actually started a band?” Liam suggested.

                “I don’t have time today. I’m meeting Shelby for ice cream,” Harry said, his voice dreamy.

                “So you’re ditching us?” Louis asked feigning offense.

                “Yes,” Harry said as they pulled up in front of Wendy’s house. The boys let Niall struggle with his many suitcases as they followed him in. The door closed with a quiet click.

                “How was your flight Niall?”

                The five of them turned to face Wendy. Zayn’s heart skipped a couple beats as he looked over the tall blonde next to the door. Their eyes met for a moment and his breath caught. She smiled sweetly before turning to hear Niall’s answer.

                “It was fine, Wendy. How have you been?”

                Wendy shrugged. “I’ve been better.”

                Zayn was curious; why was she sad?

                “What’s wrong?” Harry asked.

                Wendy brushed away the question with a wave of her hand. “Nothing important; just a boy.”

                “What boy?” Niall asked practically reading Zayn’s mind.

                “A boy I like but he’s not single.”

                Zayn’s heart sank. She looked someone else, even though this someone else was taken. Why would a boy want anyone else?     Then again, he didn’t want a lot of competition.

                “What do you all have planned for today?” Wendy asked.

                “Harry is leaving us to have ice cream with his girlfriend. I don’t know what we’re doing,” Louis said.

                “Harry has a girlfriend?” Wendy asked looking at the curly haired boy who nodded happily.

                “When are you meeting up with her?” Wendy asked.

                “Two o’clock.”

                “Well then we have a couple hours. Let’s go play soccer in the park,” Niall said bending over to get his ball out of hi bag. Everyone but Wendy followed Niall out the door and down the street; sports weren’t really Wendy’s favorite thing.


	6. Micaela and Aunt Millie

## Micaela and Aunt Millie

                She woke up an hour after she’d finally fallen asleep. Aunt Millie was downstairs making breakfast and singing. Micaela should be hungry since she hadn’t eaten since the nachos yesterday, but she wasn’t. She was worrying herself sick about the neighbors knowing she was here. What if they found out she’d run away and then told the police and they sent her back? She pulled the blankets over her head. She would never leave Aunt Millie’s. If she couldn’t see them, they couldn’t see her.

                “Knock, knock,” Aunt Millie said to announce herself. “Do you want some breakfast?”

                Micaela peeked out from beneath her covers. Aunt Millie had already brought up the food. “Okay.”

                Aunt Millie smiled as she put the tray on the nightstand. “Would you like to go out today? Maybe get some things for your room?”

                “Not today.” Micaela sat up and tentatively reached out for the glass of orange juice.

                Aunt Millie nodded and added as she walked down the hall, “Bobby will be over later!”

                Micaela put the glass back on the tray and snuggled under the covers. She was glad Aunt Millie would have company as long as she was left alone. Micaela didn’t expect Aunt Millie to stop her life and be as antisocial as she was. Micaela exhaled heavily. She needed to relax while she could.

                A sudden car horn outside made her jump. She tried to ignore the curiosity that was asking to peek out the window, but she couldn’t help it for long. She crept to the window and glanced around the curtains. Zayn was just leaving his house to jump into a brown-haired boy’s car. Zayn turned suddenly and Micaela jumped away from the window her heart racing against her ribs. He’d almost seen her! She would look like a stalker watching him like she had. He was cute though. Micaela shook her head at that thought; what a silly notion.

                Micaela left the window to retrieve her book. She crawled back into bed with a nauseous look at breakfast. She wasn’t anorexic or afraid of gaining weight, she just wasn’t hungry. Maybe in a few hours she’d eat; cold food wasn’t a foreign concept to her. Her dad didn’t let her warm food up. If she didn’t eat it when it was warm, she obviously wanted to eat it cold. She turned the page and noticed a black line of dirt beneath her nail. As she stared, her skin began to crawl. When did she last have a decent shower? She got out of bed and went to the top of the stairs. “Aunt Millie?” she called.

                “Yes dear?”

                “I want to shower. Where are the towels?”

                “I already prepared the bathroom for you. Everything you need should be there!”

                “Thanks.” Micaela walked to the bathroom and locked the door. She gingerly pulled off her socks, wincing when her feet touched the cold tiles. Her lower half was unclothed next, then, slowly, she pulled her sweatshirt off. She hissed as a loose thread pulled on a fresh scab. She dropped the sweatshirt and took a cautious look in the mirror. Black, blue, yellow, and green bruises dotted her skin, and red scabs lined her wrists. She looked away from the mirror to inspect the tub. She turned on the water and stepped in.

                Aunt Millie glanced up at the ceiling when she heard the shower start. She was surprised Micaela hadn’t been down since breakfast. When the Malik girls had called to see if Micaela wanted to go to the park with them, Aunt Millie lied and told them Micaela was sleeping. She knew why Micaela had come here, but she had underestimated the effect her brother had had on her niece. On the phone and in her letters and picture Micaela had seemed just fine. Aunt Millie wished she’d gotten Micaela out sooner.

                The doorbell rang and Aunt Millie was taken from her thoughts by the arrival of her Bobby. She threw open the door and leaned against it to greet him, “Hey there, handsome,” she said softly.

                “Hey there, gorgeous,” he returned bending down for a swift peck. “Smells like someone made lunch.” He wrapped an arm around her waist as she closed the door. He lifted her off her feet a little bit and set her on his toes. He walked them into the kitchen where he leaned Millie against the counter next to the stove. “What do we have here?” He asked.

                Aunt Millie reached behind her and grabbed a slice of quesadilla. “Cheese and chicken quesadilla.”

                Bobby took a bite out of the slice Aunt Millie held in front of him. “Delicious.”

                “Really?”

                Bobby nodded and took another bite, but was sure to hold eye contact as he ate. Aunt Millie blushed and giggled. “Aren’t you hungry?” he asked after he swallowed.

                “Of course I am, but civilized people eat at a table,” Aunt Millie said.

                Bobby raised an eyebrow. “Who said anything about being civilized? Last time I recall you were quite an animal.”

                Aunt Millie grinned. “Only in the bedroom.”

                Bobby laughed, grabbed the plate from behind her, and took it to the table. Aunt Millie followed behind him, taking the seat he pulled out for her.


	7. Zayn and his sisters

## Zayn and His Sisters

                Zayn walked into his house to the smell of his mother cooking. Their football game had gotten intense and lasted long after Harry left for ice cream with Shelby. He and Niall crushed Louis and Liam, and that fact had him grinning as he walked into the kitchen for a bottle of water.

                “Hey honey,” Mrs. Malik greeted from the stove.

                “Hey mum,” Zayn returned after gulping down some water.

                “Did you have fun with the boys?”

                “Of course.”

                “I’m guessing you played football,” Mrs. Malik conjectured glancing at her son.

                Zayn nodded. “Yep. Niall and I won.”

                “You don’t just play to play?”

                “Nope.”

                Mrs. Malik smiled. “Go clean yourself up. Dinner will be ready soon.”

                Zayn left the kitchen and went upstairs. Doniya was talking to someone in her room, and Waliyha and Safaa looked up from the game they were playing as Zayn passed by.

                “Zayn! Zayn!” Safaa called.

                He stopped outside his bedroom door as his little sister walked over to him. She wrinkled her nose. “You smell funny.”

                He tried to keep from laughing but failed. “I was just playing football. What have you been doing?”

                “Playing with Waliyha, but we have to be quiet because Doniya is on the phone.”

                “Do you know who she’s been talking to?”

                Safaa shook her head, but Zayn felt like she was lying.

                “You really don’t know who she’s talking to?”

                Safaa’s eyes widened and she began backing away from her brother, but Zayn was too quick. He scooped his squealing sister into his arms and captured her in an assault of tickles.

                “Stop! Stop!” Safaa shrieked.

                “I’ll stop when you tell me who Doniya’s talking to,” Zayn said.

                “I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you! But it’s a secret.”

                Zayn stopped ticking his sister and waited not too patiently for her to catch her breath. She rose up and whispered. “Her secret boyfriend.” They the little girl was scampering back to Waliyha.

                Zayn smiled to himself as he showered with plans already swarming in his head for his sister’s secret. Just as he stepped out of the shower, his mom was yelling up the stairs for him to come to dinner. Zayn quickly got dressed and was the lost one at the table. Doniya had a pleasant smile on her face as she barely contributed the conversation and watched her plate. Zayn decided he wanted to mess with her now. “So, who were you talking to, Doniya?”

                His older sister looked up at him with a puzzled look and then a pointed look at their younger sisters. “A friend of mine.”

                Mr. Malik cleared his throat with the smallest of smiles that his son didn’t catch.

                “What’s this friend’s name?” Zayn asked.

                “Why does it matter?” Doniya snapped.

                “Why won’t you tell me?” Zayn countered.

                Doniya scowl while their mother interjected, “Zayn, leave your sister alone.” A triumphant smile replaced Doniya’s scowl, but Zayn muttered under his breath about not keeping secrets from family. “I’m worried about Millie’s niece,” Mrs. Malik said to change the subject. “It’s such a strange situation. Why is there so much secrecy? Millie seemed so excited.”

                Mr. Malik shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. The poor thing was probably sick from traveling or something like that.”

                “I’m surprised her parents let her travel over here by herself,” Mrs. Malik said.

                Mr. Malik patted his wife’s shoulder. “Nothing for us to worry about.”

                “We should invite her on our picnic tomorrow!” Waliyha suggested excitedly.

                “I think that would be a wonderful thing to do. She must be lonely,” Mrs. Malik said gently.

                Waliyha smiled proudly to herself as dinner came to an end. Safaa and Doniya cleared the table and helped their mother with the dishes. Zayn yawned on his way upstairs after being directed that way by Doniya. He sang softly quietly to himself as he flipped through his sketchbook. A knock on his door told him his sister had arrived. He stopped singing and answered the door. “Yes?”

                Doniya smacked his arm and hissed, “Idiot!”

                “What’d I do?” He asked rubbing the sting out of his arm.

                “Why were you bringing up Preston?” she demanded.

                “Who’s Preston?” Zayn asked with a smirk.

                “My boyfriend,” Doniya growled.

                “Do mom and dad know?”

                Doniya rolled her eyes. “Of course they do.”

                Zayn’s eyebrows shot up. “They do?” Doniya nodded. “Then why did Safaa say he was a secret?”

                “If I told them his name or anything else they’d never stop talking about it.”

                “Oh,” was all Zayn could think of as a response.

                Now it was Doniya’s turn to tease. “How’s Wendy?”

                Zayn frowned and didn’t look at his sister when he said, “She’s fine.”

                “What’s wrong?” Doniya asked concerned that she didn’t get his usual reaction to Wendy.

                “She likes someone else,” he grumbled.

                “Oh, I’m sorry hun.” Doniya hugged her brother.

                Zayn shrugged. “But she said this other guy has a girlfriend, so I still have a chance.”

                Doniya smiled. She didn’t like Wendy all that much, but if Zayn wanted to crush on her there was nothing she could do. “That’s the spirit. Do you want to go on our picnic tomorrow?”

                “Sure, but I’ll probably meet up with the boys later.”

                Doniya left him alone after saying goodnight. Zayn sat on his bed and began to sketch. His mind went blank as he drew; he wasn’t in control of his hand as it moved over the paper and was surprised at what he drew. It was a girl with her back to him, sitting on a stool with her feet dangling above the floor. Her shoulders were hunched as she slouched in her seat. She looked so helpless. He was about to close his book when a sudden scream made him jump. Where was that coming from? He glanced at his clock; it was almost two. Another scream reached his ears and he realized it was from next door. Who was screaming? A muffled voice calling for Micaela’s answered him. Why was Micaela screaming?


	8. Micaela and Zayn

## Micaela and Zayn

                She couldn’t go to sleep after the first nightmare. She was so embarrassed. Aunt Millie had to wake her up and had been panicking. Micaela had reassured her it was nothing and that her aunt could go back to sleep. Micaela had lain awake for the rest of the night. She may have fallen into a half-sleep, but she couldn’t remember. Now Micaela was sitting in the living room watching _The Lion King_ on her aunt’s VCR. Her aunt had made some macaroni and cheese that was now cooling in Micaela’s lap.

                “You sure you’ll be okay by yourself?” Aunt Millie asked.

                Micaela paused the movie and replied, “Yes. I don’t want you cancelling your plans because of me. Have fun with Bobby.”

                Just then a car horn sounded outside. Aunt Millie blew her a kiss and was out the door.

                Micaela pressed play and settled into the couch again. This was what she wanted: to be completely alone and safe. She didn’t want Aunt Millie or anyone else stopping to try to help because they couldn’t she was the only one who could help her. Micaela took a small bite of macaroni. Her heart clenched as Simba and Nala were reunited and “Can you feel the love tonight?” played. Micaela felt lonely for just a minute before squashing that feeling. It was silly to get upset over something that was permanent.

                Micaela put her lunch on the coffee table and turned the television off as the credits rolled. A person walked up to the door which made her tense up, but she relaxed when she noticed it was just the mailman. Micaela got off the couch to get the mail. She glanced out the door to be sure there wasn’t anyone out. She opened the door slowly but at the same time that Zayn and his sisters opened theirs to leave for their picnic. The five of them stared at each other before Micaela dropped her eyes.

                “Would you like to go on our picnic?” Waliyha asked.

                “Please?” Safaa added.

                Micaela tugged at the sleeves of her sweatshirt. How did she get herself out of this? Would they be mad at her if she didn’t go? They probably would be. She didn’t want them to be mad at her. If they were mad and they found out what she was doing here they might get someone to take her back. She really didn’t want to go, but she’d rather keep the neighbors happy so she could stay. “Okay,” Micaela said more to the ground than the four people before her.

                She returned the mail to the mailbox and closed the front door before following them to the sidewalk. Micaela kept her head down the entire time so she couldn’t see the looks Zayn and Doniya kept giving her. Waliyha and Safaa were chattering excitedly. They were heading to a block a couple of blocks away. Micaela felt extremely exposed and knew this was a bad idea, but as she was about to excuse herself, they got to the park. Zayn and Doniya spread the blanket and Safaa helped Waliyha with the food. Micaela sat between Zayn and Doniya watching her hands twist in her lap.

                “We were going to ask you to come with us, so we’ve got plenty of food. It’s okay to eat it,” Doniya said. Micaela looked up quickly and smiled then returned to looking at the ground. She wasn’t actually hungry, but to be polite she began nibbling on her sandwich.

                The siblings talked happily about this or that and Micaela enjoyed listening to them. She wished she had had a sister or a brother to play with; someone to stay out of the way of her dad with. She frowned at the thought of her dad. Was he missing her? Probably not. He was most likely hung-over making whichever big-breasted blonde he chose to bring over make him breakfast. Just the thought of that made Micaela’s stomach roll and she placed her sandwich gently onto the paper plate.

                “Are you okay?” Zayn asked.

                Micaela swallowed before glancing up and replying, “I’m fine.”

                “Let’s play Duck, Duck, Goose!” Safaa suggested. The little girl got to her feet when no one protested and began by tapping Waliyha head. The she skipped over to Zayn and tapped his shoulder which made the other two Malik kids snicker. As Safaa bounced over to Micaela, Micaela felt her heart race and her eyes water. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw  hand rise, but it wasn’t the soft hand of her little neighbor–it was the hard hand of her father slicing through the air to slap her face as a punishment for something. Before Safaa could bring her hand down to pat he neighbor’s head, Micaela flinched away. Everyone looked at her with confused expressions. Micaela’s cheeks burned. _You are an embarrassment_ a gruff voice whispered in her head.

                “I’ve got to go,” she said quietly. She scurried away as the Malik children watched her. Doniya turned to Zayn. “Go after her. She’s going to get lost.”

                Zayn hopped to his feet and ran after Micaela. He looked left and right and saw her going the wrong way. He caught up in a few long strides. “You’re going the wrong way.” Micaela screamed and almost jumped into traffic. After she calmed down, she turned around and walked off. Again he caught up with her. “Let me walk you home.”

                Zayn saw her grimace before she said, “Okay.” Obviously, she wasn’t keen on his company, but he wasn’t going to let her walk back alone.

                “I heard you screaming last night,” Zayn said as his only means of starting a conversation.

                Though she was watching the ground, he could still see the blush that formed. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

                “No. I was up, but I’m just curious why you were screaming.”

                He was curious? Micaela’s head spun. A curious boy was not a good thing. They were nearing Aunt Millie’s house now. Micaela wasn’t paying attention and would have run into another pedestrian if Zayn hadn’t pulled her away. She bit back a cry of pain when he accidentally pulled on a bruise. He let go and she sprinted up to the door. Though she tried to hurry, he could still see that she was trembling which caused her to struggle with the door. He approached her slowly, clearing his throat to announce himself. She froze and he reached around her to open the door. She couldn’t look at him when she asked, “What do you want?”

                Zayn blinked down at her. She was so small and quiet. Why did she think he wanted something? “I was only opening the door for you.”

                “Thank you,” she murmured.

                She stepped inside and before she could close the door, he said, “You didn’t tell me why you were screaming.”

                He sounded worried, but Micaela brushed it away. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just a dream. Goodbye Zayn.”

                He stopped the door from closing. “Are you okay here alone?” A protective, brotherly instinct for his small neighbor was gnawing at him.

                He voice now sounded irritated. “Yes. I don’t need your help.” She slammed the door and slumped against it. She hadn’t spoken so much to a stranger in so long, and now she was questioning why she did it. She settled with talking had been necessary to diffuse suspicion and it wouldn’t happen again. A small part of her, deep down in her, was happy and flattered that Zayn seemed to care a little bit about her. Micaela cleared her head of these thoughts; what a waste of time they were.


	9. Micaela

## Micaela

                She woke up covered in cold sweat and shivering. All the blankets were on the floor and the air conditioning was blowing on her. She wasn’t going to go back to sleep after that nightmare. It’d been particularly bad and Zayn had been there, which was odd. He’d been more present in her life over the past week. Every day when she got her mail, he was getting his. Nothing more than a smile usually passed between them, but it was pleasant. Her original plan to remain secluded at Aunt Millie’s and never be involved with anyone but Aunt Millie was not working out at all. She was unfortunately forced to admit that she was infatuated with Zayn, but it would never be anything more and she couldn’t decide how she felt about that.

                Micaela rolled out of bed and went downstairs to get breakfast. Looking in the cabinets and fridge, she realized she’d have to go shopping at some point. Aunt Millie had only begun to buy for two people and wasn’t there to restock her pantry, but Aunt Millie had remembered to stock up on Pop Tarts, so Micaela was set on what little food she did eat. Micaela also realized the house was getting messy; maybe she’d clean it today.

                Settling in on the couch, Micaela turned on the news and watched until she was thirsty. She was craving orange juice, and luckily there was still some in the fridge. Needing a glass that was too high in the cabinet for her to reach easily, Micaela climbed onto the counter to reach it. She paused to think how she was going to get down, and while she thought her body swayed which caused her to think she was going to fall. Her body jerked to stay on the counter and she dropped the glass. The bright shatter of glass made her heart still and her breath catch. Any moment and her dad would storm in here and scream at her. In order to avoid his full wrath, she scrambled down from the counter and began picking up the pieces of glass by hand as punishment for breaking it.

                She jumped slightly when she heard the neighbor’s dog start barking in its backyard. That meant the mail had come. Micaela got to her feet, put the pieces of glass in the trash, and went to check the mail. Not surprisingly, Zayn was out getting his family’s mail when she opened the door. He looked at her with a smile that she couldn’t return as she got the mail. She reached out to push the door open, but hissed when her left hand began to sting. She pulled it away from the door and looked down at her palm.

                “What happened?” Zayn asked his voice coated with concern.

                Micaela looked at him, shocked he’d spoken, before holding her hand against her chest. A cut on her hand certainly did not do anything to keep questions at bay. “I must have cut it while picking up the glass I broke.”

                “You were picking it up with your hands?”

                “I broke it.” She said it as if it was obvious why she’d been picking broken glass up with her hands. The dog’s barking must have startled her so much she jerked the glass against her palm. She hadn’t even felt it.

                “Do you need any help?” Zayn asked softly.

                Micaela shook her head and pushed the door open and closed with her shoulder. She dropped the mail on the kitchen counter and went to the upstairs bathroom to deal with her hand. Aunt Millie kept a first aid kit under the sink. Micaela bit her tongue to keep from crying out as she washed and bandaged her hand. Zayn was probably tell his mother what happened and then she’d start asking questions and then she’d get answered and then Micaela would be shipped back to her father. Thinking about her father made her remember the broken glass still in the kitchen. She went downstairs and stared at the pile of sharp edges. Why was she using her hands if her father was in another country? She went to the coat closet to get the broom.


	10. Zayn and the Boys

## Zayn and the Boys

                “What time is it?” Zayn asked for the billionth time.

                The other four groaned and Liam answered, “12:30. Why does it matter?”

                “The mail comes at one.”

                “So?” Niall asked.

                “Micaela gets her mail a little after that and I’m going to talk to her a little bit today.”

                “You like this girl a lot more than you like Wendy,” Louis said.

                “I do not,” Zayn snapped, his mood darkened by the idea of Wendy liking another guy. “She’s like a little sister.”

                The others snorted and snickered as they walked into Zayn’s living room. Mrs. Malik popped her head in from the kitchen. “Lunch will be ready in a little bit boys.”

                “Thanks mom,” Zayn called as he plopped onto the couch between Niall and Liam. Harry was on his phone texting Shelby while Louis tugged on his curls to be a nuisance. Zayn’s eyes weren’t focused on the television show they were watching, but on the window next to the front door. He was waiting for the movement and clunk of the mail, and when he got them, he leapt from the couch and barreled through the front door. The other four boys looked at each other and burst into laughter. Zayn was definitely in denial.

                Zayn closed the door behind him and slowly reached into the mailbox. He hummed to himself as he shuffled through the mail waiting for his neighbor. Today he was going to try to have more than a simple, how-are-you conversation and see if he could solve the mystery of the nightly screaming. He jumped when her door finally opened.

                “Hey,” he greeted. She glanced up with a smile and quickly returned her eyes to her mail. He was used to this, but still wished she’d look at him. “How are you?”

                “Fine.”

                “How’s your hand?” It’d been a couple of weeks since she’d cut it on a glass she broke. Why had she been picking it up with her hand? She held it out so he could see. It was still covered by a band-ad so he just nodded. “Can I ask you something and get an answer?”

                “You usually do.”

                He smiled at her rare comeback and went ahead with his question. “Why do you scream in your sleep?”

                Micaela froze. “It’s just a dream. I’m sorry.”

                “But how can a dream be so scary?”

                Micaela chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s just a dream.”

                “That’s not an answer.”

                “Why does it matter?” she asked sounding tired.

                “Because I’m your friend and I care about you.”

                That made her look at him. Her eyes were wide and her face hopeful. “You’re my friend?”

                Zayn didn’t know how getting the mail at the same time and barely speaking made them friends, but he was just going to roll with it. “Yes. I am. And I’d like to help you.”

                “I’ve never had a friend,” she told the mail more than Zayn.

                “That can’t be true,” Zayn said. Everyone has to have at least one friend at some point and time.

                Micaela blushed. “It is true. I’m not a liar.”

                “Well now you’ve got me.” He put his hand up for a high-five, but Micaela gasped and flinched away. Zayn lowered his hand slowly as she took deep breaths to calm herself. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

                Micaela just nodded and ran into her house. Zayn opened the front door and took the mail into the kitchen where his mom was cooking.

                “What took you so long?” Harry asked.

                “I made a new friend,” Zayn said. “She’s never had a friend before.”

                “That’s not possible,” Louis chuckled.

                “She’s not a liar,” Zayn snapped.

                “Well then we can all be her friends,” Niall said.


	11. Micaela

## Micaela

                Zayn was her friend? She’d not been lying when she’d said she’d never had a friend before. The moms in her neighborhood were frightened by her dad, so their kids could never come over to play. Her dad wasn’t about to let her go over to another person’s house. At school, she’d been too shy to talk to anyone and too embarrassed. She wasn’t worth it, nor did she deserve any friends. Micaela felt tears prick her eyes as she imagined the moment when Zayn realized he was wasting time on her and left. Maybe she should tell him she wasn’t worth it and that he didn’t have to worry about her. That’s what friends did right?

                Part of her really wanted a friend though. She’d planned on simply being alone and in control of her own life, but it was starting to get lonely. Friends kept each other company and it’d be nice to have someone to talk to. Aunt Millie and Bobby were going to be gone for at least another week so Micaela would be alone for a while longer. She smiled. Zayn, as her friend, might spend a little time with her. She would hopefully be able to stay at her house. She didn’t want to go anywhere else. If she was going to have company, she’d definitely need to clean the house again.

                Just then, the phone rang. Micaela wasn’t going to answer it, but she wanted to see who was calling. Her breath caught and her heart raced as she looked at the number. She knew exactly who was calling and she hoped no message would be left, but Micaela had never been particularly lucky.

                “Hey! Sorry I missed you but leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can,” Aunt Millie’s recorded voice told the caller.

                “Hey, Millie. Do you know where Micaela is? She’s disappeared. Call me back.”

Micaela slid to the kitchen floor and held her knees to her chest. Her dad knew she was missing and had an idea of who might know where she was. What if he came over and didn’t wait for Aunt Millie to call back? Did he even care that much? Micaela jumped when someone knocked on the door. On her way to the door, she convinced herself that her dad had found her and was here to take her away. She opened the door, eyes to the floor.

“Hey.”

                Micaela looked up with obvious relief. “Hi, Zayn.”

                He tilted his head as he watched her. “Are you okay?”

                Micaela nodded. “I just was scared when you knocked.”

                “Okay…” Zayn said slowly. “Well my mom was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner. We usually have dinner with Aunt Millie a couple times a month and I know she’s not here, but do you still want to come?”

                “I…” she trailed off and scratched at her wrist. She could feel Zayn watching her, waiting for her answer. “I’m sorry, but not tonight.”

                “Got a hot date?” Zayn teased.

                Micaela blinked and swallowed her embarrassment, almost starting to say she’d come after all.

                Zayn checked himself and spoke quietly. “I’m just teasing. It’s okay if you don’t want to come.”

                “Your family won’t be mad will they?”

                “No. Why would they be mad?”

                Micaela shrugged.

                “Goodnight, Micaela,” Zayn said before leaving.

                “Goodnight, Zayn.”


	12. Aunt Millie

## Aunt Millie

                Micaela opened the door for her aunt as Bobby drove off. “How are you doing Micaela?” Aunt Millie asked dropping her bags by the stairs.

                Her niece actually smiled. “I’m doing a little better.” She was so quiet.

                Aunt Millie threw Micaela a mischievous look over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen. “Did I miss anything… _interesting_?”

                “No, but I made a friend,” Micaela admitted shyly.

                Aunt Millie paused in opening the fridge. “Really?” She never thought her niece could leave her bedroom.

                Micaela nodded, but her smile fell. “It’s Zayn, but it won’t last long.”

                Aunt Millie’s brow furrowed. “Why? He’s a good kid.”

                “He’ll realize that I’m not worth the time and effort of even just an acquaintance and then he’ll be gone.”

                “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Aunt Millie said as she looked in the fridge. “There’s nothing to eat. How have you not starved?”

                “There are Pop-Tarts in the cabinet,” Micaela said.

                Aunt Millie straightened and closed the fridge. “Put some shoes on. We’re going grocery shopping.”

                “I don’t want to go,” Micaela said.

                “How am I supposed to know if you like something or not?” Aunt Millie raised an eyebrow at her niece while putting her hands on her hips.

                “I don’t care. Pick out whatever.”

                “Please come with me. Please, please, please,” Aunt Millie begged clasping her hands in front of her chest.

                “What if someone tries to take my away? My dad said he sent my picture over here.”

                “I don’t trust a word that man says, and if anyone tried to take you, I’ll castrate them where they stand,” Aunt Millie threatened as she grabbed he purse.

                Micaela sighed, but acquiesced. Her aunt’s house was getting a bit boring. Aunt Millie opened the car door for her niece before getting in and driving the couple of blocks to the store. “We’ll just go up and down each aisle and you can get whatever you want.”

                Out of the car and into the store, Micaela stayed close to her aunt and silent. Aunt Millie could only get noncommittal replies out of her niece, so she started grabbing anything Micaela seemed to linger over. Their cart was overflowing when they reached the check out. The man behind the register was old with gray wisps on his otherwise bald head. The bag boy looked like he was around Zayn’s age and he smiled at Micaela when she accidentally caught his eye.

                “Paper or plastic?” the bag boy asked.

                “Paper…Alex,” Aunt Millie said squinting at his name tag. She felt Micaela press against her like a toddle might as they waited for their total to be rung up.

                “136 Euro,” the old man said.

                Aunt Millie paid and took Micaela and the cart to the car. “The bagger was cute don’t you think?” Aunt Millie asked Micaela who shrugged. “It’s okay to have an opinion.”

                “I wasn’t looking at him,” Micaela got in the car as Aunt Millie put the cart back. Aunt Millie drove quickly home and arrived as Zayn and his friends were heading out. Micaela remained in her seat as Aunt Millie got out and greeted them. Aunt Millie did not miss the way the boys kept glancing at Micaela’s hidden form in the car.

                “Poor thing isn’t feeling well,” Aunt Millie lied for he niece. “Perhaps grocery shopping was a little much for her.”

                “Need help with those?” Liam asked referring to the groceries.

                Aunt Millie smiled at him. “No thanks honey. You boys have fun tonight.” She waved them off and took a couple of bags up to the door. Micaela followed once the boys were out of sight.

                “They’re sweet boys,” Aunt Millie said when they got all the groceries in.

                “Okay.”

                Aunt Millie sighed. Why did Micaela seem to think she wasn’t worth anyone’s time? Why was she even asking herself that question? Obviously her brother had done quite a number on his daughter. “He wasn’t always like that you know?”

                Micaela stiffened at her aunt’s words knowing exactly who she was talking about. “Why bring him up?”

                “I was there when you were born and he loved you so much.”

                Micaela gripped the counter in an effort to keep herself grounded. “Well he doesn’t now.” Micaela left the kitchen, stomped upstairs, and slammed her door.

                Aunt Millie noticed her blinking answering machine while she berated herself for bringing up her brother. She pressed play and her breath caught as her brother’s voice crackled through all thirty-five messages.

                “Millie, answer your god damn phone! I know you can hear me! I know she’s with you! If you don’t send her back, I’ll get on the next fucking plane and tear your house apart till I find that little piece of shit!”


	13. Harry

## Harry

                He walked the three blocks to his girlfriend’s house whistling. People gave the obvious cheerful lad strange looks as they passed, but he was oblivious. He skipped up the steps to her door and knocked. A young lady with hair just as curly as his answered the door. She smiled and told her mom she’d be back later before joining the grinning boy in the hall. “Hello, Harry,” she greeted softly.

                “Hello Shelby,” Harry took her hand as they walked down the sidewalk towards nowhere in particular.

                “How are you this fine afternoon?” Harry asked.

                “I’m doing quite well actually. How are you?”

                “I’m wonderful now that you’re here.”

                She smirked at him. “A bit cheesy don’t you think?”

                He squeezed her hand. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”

                Shelby blushed and looked at the ground. “What am I going to do with you?”

                “Anything you want,” Harry teased.

                Shelby stopped short and gaped at a window display of pastries and cakes. Harry stood by her side as she rattled off all the different techniques that the bakers used. Harry smiled down at her as she talked. Shelby was dead set on becoming on chef when she grew up. She cooked anything well the first time and after that it tasted even better. “Let’s go inside,” she said.

                Harry followed her in and stood in the middle of the little bakery as she inspected every last cookie and cupcake. The smell of the shop reminded Harry of the way Shelby smelled as they cuddled on the couch and watched a movie. His heart swelled as he watched her flit around. When she crossed in front of him for a third time, he drew her close and asked, “Do you want to get anything?”

                Shelby nibbled on her lip as she thought. “I’d like a cupcake,” she said quietly.

                Keeping his arm around her, he walked them over to the cupcake display. “Could we get two of those please?” Harry asked the redhead behind the counter. He pointed to two chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting. The redhead handed the cupcakes to Harry who then paid before leaving with a giddy Shelby attached to his hip. Harry handed her a cupcake and they ate as the continued their walk. Shelby kept letting out little moans of delight as she ate and Harry couldn’t help but wonder if she sounded like that…He shook his head to clear the naughty thoughts; Shelby was too perfect to think about that.

                “What are you smiling about?” Shelby asked.

                Harry kissed her cheek. “Oh, nothing.”

                “I know what that means,” Shelby teased.

                “What is that?” Harry asked.

                Shelby stopped and whispered in his ear. “You were thinking of me on my back as you have your way with me.”

                Harry’s mouth and eyes opened wide; Shelby just got a little more perfect.


	14. Micaela and Zayn

## Micaela and Zayn

                Micaela peeled her eyes open from her curled position on the couch. She could hear Aunt Millie showering upstairs so it was up to her to answer the door. Micaela stretched and winced as her muscles ached from sleeping on the couch. She shuffled over to the door and peered through the peephole to see who was at the door. She was surprised to see Zayn. Micaela opened the door and said, “Good morning.”

                Zayn smiled at her even though she was too busy looking at the ground to see. “Good morning friend.”

                “Do you need something?” she asked.

                “Not really. I wanted to see if you were feeling better. Aunt Millie said you weren’t feeling well yesterday after grocery shopping.”

                “Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

                Zayn decided to press his luck. “Can I come in?”

                Micaela thought for a moment. Friends spent time with each other at their house right? Aunt Millie was upstairs and Zayn wouldn’t try anything bad with her upstairs right?

                “What about your other friends?” she asked.

                “I’m meeting them later. I’d like to spend a little time with you.”

                Micaela nodded and stepped aside so he could come in. As soon as Micaela closed the door, Aunt Millie’s shower turned off. Micaela ran upstairs to tell her aunt Zayn was over and returned to the boy who’d made himself comfortable on the couch. Micaela didn’t know where to sit, but after thinking through her options, she chose the armchair across from Zayn. She drew her legs to her chest and sat silently studying the carpet.

                “Where are you from?” Zayn asked.

                “America,” Micaela practically whispered.

                “I know that, but can’t you be a little more specific?”

                “Where are you from?” she asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

                “I asked you first,” Zayn countered. “You tell me, I’ll tell you.”

                “What if I don’t say anything?”

                “Then we’ll sit in silence.”

                She closed her mouth and played with a thread on the arm of the chair. Zayn was true to his word and seemed to be comfortable sitting in silence. Micaela, on the other hand, squirmed beneath the quiet. She watched the news and knew her father’s threat of sending her picture to the police was hollow so Zayn wasn’t trying to send her away. Maybe if she talked to him he wouldn’t leave her so soon. “I’m from Chicago.”

                Zayn was surprised she’d talked. He hadn’t expected her to, but now he owed her information. “I’m from Bradford, but we moved to London when I was little. Do you have any siblings?”

                “No.”

                “Did you ever get lonely?”

                Micaela shook her head. “I entertain myself rather well.”

                “Doesn’t mean you didn’t get lonely.”

                Micaela shrugged and stayed quiet.

                “How old are you?” Zayn asked. He was surprised when she told him she was fourteen. She looked younger, but as he had more time to look at her, he noticed that there was simply something missing and he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. The chair dwarfed her. He was reminded of the picture he’d drawn at the beginning of the summer of the girl hunched on the stool and he was reminded of Micaela. “How’d you get that bruise?” he asked.

                Micaela’s fingers brushed over the yellow-green spot on her leg. She remembered quite clearly how she’d gotten it the night before she left, but settled for a lie. “I’m clumsy.”

                “Bonjour Zayn!” Aunt Millie trilled as she reached the bottom of the stairs. “Are you going to join us for lunch?”

                “I’d love to,” he told her. He returned his attention to Micaela. “Have you really never had a friend?”

                “Isn’t that a little personal?” Micaela muttered.

                “I’m sorry,” Zayn murmured.

                Micaela felt a jolt of guilt run through her. Zayn was just being friendly. Maybe if she told him why she’d never had friends he’d leave sooner and it would hurt less. But telling him meant reliving her past and that was something she couldn’t handle just yet. “When are you meeting your friends?” Micaela asked.

                “Eager to get rid of me?” Zayn asked feigning anger.

                Micaela visibly shrunk in her seat at his tone. “N-No-I just-You shouldn’t-I–” Had she already made an enemy out of her friend?

                Zayn became worried. Didn’t she know he was teasing? “Micaela, calm down. I was just kidding.”

                Micaela rubbed her eyes. Having a friend was going to kill her. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to joking around.”

                “Lunch is ready,” Aunt Millie called. Aunt Millie had made macaroni and cheese for lunch. She was surprised her niece hadn’t eaten it all while she’d been travelling. Then again, Micaela didn’t eat much.

                Micaela ate a few bites of pasta, but having an unpredictable guest over made her nervous and lose her appetite. “Excuse me,” she murmured pushing away from the table and going upstairs.

                Zayn turned to Aunt Millie. “What’s wrong with her?”

                Aunt Millie shook her head. “I can’t tell you; it’s her story. Just be gentle with her. She’s not really used to being…” Aunt Millie trailed off trying to find the right word. “She’s not really used to being treated like an equal. She’ll tell you when she’s ready.”

                “I doubt she’ll ever be ready,” Zayn grumbled.

                “Just don’t give up on her,” Aunt Millie said quietly as she stood to clear the dishes. She put Micaela’s bowl in the fridge and started a conversation with Zayn.

                Micaela was in the upstairs bathroom gripping the counter and gritting her teeth. Why couldn’t she just be normal? She felt like she was going to be sick, but she knew it was only an illusion. Zayn probably thought she was a freak, and, just to be polite, he’d stay to say goodbye and then he’d never come back. No point in making him wait any longer. She scolded herself in the mirror once more before descending into the living room. Zayn was very close to her when she got off the last step because he’d been about to go up and check on her. He took a step back at the same time she did. Micaela hit the last step with the back of her leg, and would have fallen backwards if Zayn hadn’t caught her wrist. She yelped when one of her cuts was accidentally reopened.

                Zayn let go immediately. “Are you alright?”

                Micaela nodded. “I’m okay.” He raised an eyebrow as he studied her. Micaela gingerly pulled the sleeve of her sweatshirt down while holding her wrist up to her face to hide the cuts from Zayn. One had indeed reopened and was bleeding. “I’ll just go get a Band-Aid,” she mumbled.

                Micaela thought Zayn would just wait for her, but he followed her up and stood in the doorway while she got the first aid kit out. There was no way to really hide from Zayn anymore because the cut was on her right wrist and she was right-handed. Usually she could do the bandage herself, but she was embarrassed and being watched wasn’t helping her shaking hands. She gave up secrecy for a moment and asked, “Can you help me?”

                Zayn pushed off the door frame and came to her side. He gently put on some Neosporin and put a Band-Aid over the bleeding cut. “Did you do this to yourself?”

                Micaela blushed. “Yes.”

                Zayn pushed his luck. “Why?”

                “I don’t want to talk about it.”

                Zayn refrained from pressing for more information; when she was ready she’d tell him.


	15. Niall

## Niall

                “You’re eating more food?” Wendy asked as Niall returned from the kitchen with a bowl of cereal.

                “I’m hungry,” Niall said around a mouthful of half-chewed cereal.

                Wendy wrinkled her nose at him. “That’s gross.”

                Niall looked at his bowl. “It’s just cereal.”

                Wendy rolled her eyes. “Talking with your mouth full, stupid.”

                He grinned, swallowed, and apologized. “The boys are coming over later.”

                Wendy sighed. “That’s nice. I’ll be going out then.” She started the movie she was trying to show Niall again, but Niall could tell she wasn’t paying attention. It was unfortunate that his cousin was an only child, and didn’t seem to talk about feelings with her friends, though Niall was positive that was why girls had sleepovers in the first place. So, lacking siblings and friends, Wendy often talked to him about her “emotional turmoil”. He could tell she wanted to talk now because she kept shifting and sighing. Niall didn’t really want to listen to Wendy’s problems, but he was scared if he said that she’d kill him.

                “What’s up?” he asked his cousin.

                “Oh you don’t want to sit and listen to my problems.” In other words: ask and you will listen; you’ve been warned.

                “That’s never stopped you before,” Niall muttered.

                Wendy either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him. “I just wish I didn’t always fall for guys who are dating someone else. It sucks seeing the boy you’re in love with hanging all over someone else. It makes my heart ache. I wish he could see how much better I am,” she finished wistfully. “How’s Zayn?”

                The sudden question startled Niall and made him suspicious. “Why?”

                “I’m curious,” Wendy said wide eyed and attempting to look innocent, but she was anything but.

                Niall sighed. “He’s fine.”

                “Is he dating anyone?”

                Niall almost choked on his cereal. “What?”

                Wendy repeated herself. “Is he dating anyone?”

                “No…” Niall was terrified of where this conversation was headed. He didn’t want Wendy to pursue any of his friends.

                “Hm…” Wendy hummed thoughtfully.

                “Wendy, please don’t.”

                “Don’t what?” With that she was off the couch and heading upstairs.

                Niall groaned as he fell back against the couch. Zayn would be ecstatic if he knew what Wendy had just asked. Niall would do everything in his power to make sure he never found out. Wendy was scary, but that side was only apparent if one wasn’t in a relationship with her.

                The doorbell rang and Niall answered it allowing the other four boys in. Wendy appeared moments later. “Hey guys. Hey Zayn.”

                Niall though Zayn was going to pass out.

                “Hi Wendy.”

                She smiled at Zayn’s obviously infatuated tone before waltzing away. Zayn watched her go while the others watched him.

                “Are you going to be alright, mate?” Louis asked.

                “Yeah,” Zayn breathed.

                The boys snickered. Niall rolled his eyes “Don’t get any ideas. Remember that other guy,” Niall warned.

                Zayn’s dreamy state collapsed immediately and he grumbled incoherently at Niall. They went upstairs and flopped in Niall’s room. “What should we do today?” Niall asked.

                “I don’t know,” Liam mumbled absently strumming on one of Niall’s guitars. Then Harry started humming and Zayn started singing. They spent the afternoon being a “band” upstairs while Wendy turned the TV up downstairs to drown them out.


	16. Micaela

## Micaela

                She offered him a small smile and a quiet giggle when he’d finally finished telling her a joke. He grinned and said, “Told you I’d get you to laugh.”

                Micaela blushed and covered her face with her hands. “Don’t you have friends you’re supposed to meet up with?”

                Zayn rolled his eyes. “Not today.” Micaela got off the couch and grabbed their breakfast dishes. Zayn’s knocking and doorbell ringing had dragged her from bed this morning since Aunt Millie had spent the night at Bobby’s. “Why do you always do that?” he asked twisting in his seat on the couch to face her in the kitchen.

                “Always do what?” Micaela asked starting the sink.

                “Why do you always try to get rid of me?”

                Micaela paused in her dishwashing. Should she tell him? He’d react like Aunt Millie. “I don’t try to get rid of you; I just don’t want them to be made at me for taking you away from them.”

                “If they get mad about me hanging out with a friend then they’re not my friends.”

                “That’s harsh,” Micaela murmured.

                “Well they’d be acting like children.”

                Micaela frowned. “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to spend time with me.”

                “What are you talking about?” Zayn asked. He sounded irritated.

                Micaela sighed like she was tired of this conversation. “Well you said we were friends and friends usually spend time together. You’re much better friends with the others and probably enjoy your time with them more because they’re not like me. I don’t want you to–.”

                “Are you trying to tell me you’re not worth my time?”

                An odd feeling came over her. At least he said it, so he’d probably been thinking it. He’d leave and it’d hurt, but she wasn’t too attached.

                “Micaela please look at me.”

                Micaela turned around and faced Zayn who was now standing close, but not too close, to her in the kitchen.  He was looking at her like she was crazy. Why was he looking at her like that? She felt her temper rising. “What?” she snapped.

                “You’re not a waste of time,” he said calmly.

                She blinked at him. “I’m not?”

                “No. If you were, I wouldn’t be here.”

                Micaela turned back to the sink rubbing her head.

                “Why would you think that?” He sounded genuinely concerned.

                “No reason,” Micaela mumbled.

                “Bullshit. You have to have a reason why you think that. Who told you you were a waste of time?”

                “It’s not important,” Micaela sighed.

                “Yes it is,” Zayn was obviously frustrated.

                “You’re giving me a headache,” Micaela said drying the last of the dishes. She started to return the freshly cleaned dishes to their rightful places under the watchful eyes of her friend. She could tell Zayn was upset with her and she felt guilty, but she wasn’t about to tell Zayn anything. The past was the past and she could deal with it.

                Micaela wanted to go back into the living room, but Zayn was blocking the doorway. “Um, I’d like to go back to the couch please.”

                Zayn arched an eyebrow. “Oh really?” A feeling of dread washed over her as she stood before him looking at her feet. Now she’d done it; Zayn was mad and he was going to do something about it. He loomed over her with his arms crossed and his usual smile set in a straight line. “Tell me something about yourself and I’ll let you through.”

                “My favorite color is pink.”

                “I already knew that,” he said. “Tell me something new.”

                Micaela bit back the retort she had since he hadn’t originally asked for something new and told him, “My mom left when I was two,” before she could stop herself.

                Zayn’s arms dropped to his side as he stepped to the side to let her pass. Micaela had never told anyone anything so personal before. What was he going to do now?

                “I’m so sorry,” he said quietly.

                Micaela settled herself on one end of the couch. “It’s okay. All I know about her is what my aunt and my…dad told me.”

                She was happy when he didn’t ask for more information. They talked about other things until Zayn’s mom called him home for dinner.

                “Please don’t tell anyone about my mom,” Micaela asked as she followed him to the door.

                “I won’t.”

                “Pinky promise?” Micaela valued the pinky promise above every other form of swearing. It was the only kind of promise that had ever held true for her. She held her pinky up for Zayn to promise with. He smiled and linked their pinkies.

                “Pinky promise.”

                


	17. Aunt Millie, Micaela, and Zayn

## Aunt Millie, Micaela, and Zayn

                “Micaela, I’m home!” Aunt Millie yelled up the stairs. “Come help me with dinner.”

                Micaela hopped off her bed and ran down the stairs. She stopped short when she saw her aunt. “You’re hair!”

                Aunt Millie reached up and patted her new lavender bob. “Do you like it?”

                “Yeah, but why’d you change it?”

                Aunt Millie sighed dramatically. “My old hair reminded me of Bobby,” she practically growled.

                “What happened with Bobby?”

                “He cheated on me with some hooker he picked up from a bar when he told me he was visiting his mother. I found Stan, though, so I’ll be okay.”

                Micaela just nodded, unable to say anything regarding her aunt’s story. “When are the neighbors coming over?”

                “Seven-thirty. You’ll be okay with them won’t you?”

                Micaela nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

                Aunt Millie beamed at her. Her niece had really gotten better about being social since she’d arrived. For the first couple of weeks, Aunt Millie thought Micaela would hide in her room forever. “I’m making hamburgers and peach enchiladas.”

                “Peach enchiladas?”

                Aunt Millie nodded. “It’s like peach cobbler. It’s easy enough. Do you want to try to make it?”

                “Alright,” Micaela said nervously. The kitchen was not something she was very used to. She’d always used frozen and box meals at home so that there was little chance of her messing up and making her dad angry.

                “Here’s the recipe,” Aunt Millie said handing her a piece of paper. “The pans are in that cabinet and you should be able to find everything else.” Micaela scanned the recipe and began baking as Aunt Millie told her all about Stan.

               

                “Micaela, will you answer that?” Aunt Millie called from upstairs.

                Micaela walked slowly to the door and pulled it open. The neighbors came in smiling at her and asking how she’d been. Micaela answered them quietly and struggled to remain calm. Lots of people asking her questions was overwhelming. Who should she answer first? What answer did they want? What would happen if she answered wrong? Zayn stood quietly next to her and Aunt Millie came downstairs distracting everyone with her hair.

                “Who’s the inspiration for this new do?” Mrs. Malik asked.

                “Stan, a banker from up north.”

                “What happened to Bobby?”

                Aunt Millie sighed. “He got tired of me.”

                Mister and Missus Malik offered her comments about how interesting she was, but Aunt Millie brushed their remarks to the side ushering everyone into the living room. Micaela stayed for a moment or two before disappearing into the kitchen. She let herself breathe easy as she leaned against the counter next to the fridge.

                “My family isn’t that scary is it?”

                Micaela jumped and spun around. “No. I just don’t like being around a lot of people. It makes me nervous.”

                Zayn cocked his head to the side. “Why?”

                Micaela didn’t want to answer him. “It’s silly really.”

                Zayn shook his head. “I don’t think it is.”

                Micaela rolled her eyes. “You’re just saying that.” When he didn’t say anything and seemed to be waiting for an answer, Micaela asked. “Did you have a good day today?”

                “Yes. My day was quite fantastic.”

                “Really? Why?”

                Zayn smirked and threw her words back at her. “It’s silly really.” Before she could react, two quick buzzes interrupted them. Zayn pulled his phone from his pocket, grinned at the screen, and returned the phone to his pocket.

                “Aren’t you going to reply?” Micaela asked.

                “Not now. That’d be rude.”

                Micaela chose not to press the phone issue. “What made your day fantastic?”

                “If I tell you, will you tell me why people make you nervous?”

                “You’re all about blackmail aren’t you?”

                “Yes. Do we have a deal?”

                Micaela sighed. “I guess.”

                Zayn smiled. “Remember the girl I was talking about the other day named Wendy?” Micaela nodded. “She texted me today.” Zayn was obviously excited. Micaela swallowed an odd lump in her throat and smiled too, offering him congratulations.

                Now it was her turn to talk. “People make me nervous because I’m not sure what they expect me to do or how they’ll react if I do something wrong.”

                Zayn smiled like a brother does at his little sister doing something adorable. “Just answer their questions and you can do no wrong.”

                “But what kind of answers do they want?”

                “Didn’t your parents ever show you off?” Zayn seemed to realize what he’d said as soon as the words left his lips, and the pained look on Micaela’s face made his guilt about ten times worse. “Uh, your dad didn’t ever show you off?”

                “Was he supposed to?”

                Zayn was digging a deep hole for himself, but he was digging blindly and couldn’t see when to stop. “Most parents do.”

                “Mine didn’t.” Micaela couldn’t look at him anymore and felt like crying, but Zayn obviously felt bad and crying would make it worse for him. “I’m going to the bathroom.” Zayn let her pass, but Aunt Millie caught her just outside the door.

                “What’s wrong sugar?” she asked her niece.

                “I’m going upstairs.” Aunt Millie let her go since it was easier than arguing with her. Micaela looked like she was about to cry and probably would go upstairs to compose herself rather than making a scene down here. Aunt Millie turned to Zayn who was shifting from foot to foot.

                “Don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault,” Aunt Millie assured him.

                “But it kind of is,” Zayn mumbled.

                “No. It’s her…father’s; not yours.”


	18. Zayn

## Zayn

                Zayn woke up to another round of screaming next door. It had been a couple of weeks since Micaela had had a nightmare. No one else was awake, but he could hear muffled voices next door. He wanted to go check on his little friend. She hadn’t rejoined them until late during dinner and barely ate anything, even the peach enchiladas that she made. Zayn pushed his blankets off of him and crept out of his house. He knocked on Aunt Millie’s door, waiting patiently for an answer. Aunt Millie appeared on the other side of the door looking exhausted. “What are you doing up at this time and why are you over here?” Aunt Millie asked no malice in her voice, just curiosity.

                “I wanted to check on Micaela. She was screaming again.”

                “Oh, well, you can come in,” Aunt Millie said. “Your parents don’t know?”

                Zayn shook his head. “Everyone else is asleep.”

                He followed Aunt Millie upstairs and to Micaela’s bedroom. Aunt Millie knocked and announced Zayn before disappearing into her room. Micaela sat up and pulled the blankets close to her as he stood awkwardly next to her.

                “What are you doing here?” she asked.

                “Are you alright?” he asked ignoring her question.

                “Of course I am.”

                “You were screaming again.”

                “You’re not going to let that go are you?”

                Zayn shook his head. “No. Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

                “It’s just a dream.” Micaela reached for her book in an effort to show him it was nothing to worry about, but he wasn’t done yet.

                “I’m sorry about earlier,” he said quietly.

                “What do you mean?” She sounded genuinely confused.

                “Earlier at dinner. I upset you and I’m sorry.”

                “It’s not your fault. I should have just let it go.”

                Zayn studied her again. She was so small compared to her bed and her surroundings in general. How could she have travelled here by herself? How could her mother leave her? His curiosity about his neighbor was overwhelming and hard to control, but he did because he liked her. His eyes were drawn to her wrist where there was a fresh band aid. “Did you cut yourself again?” The question was out of his mouth before he could stop it. Micaela looked at the opposite wall of the room. He took that as a yes.

 

                Zayn shouted another goodbye to Micaela as he hurried down her steps to meet Liam on the sidewalk.

                “Hey man. What’s up?”

                “Nothing,” Zayn replied.

                “Why were you at her house this early?” Liam asked.

                “It’s a long story.” Liam respected his evasion of his question and let him change the subject. “Wendy texted me yesterday.”

                “Really?”

                Zayn smirked. “No need to sound so surprised.”

                “Why did she text you? Was it just out of the blue?”

                Zayn nodded. “I don’t really care why. She’s talking to me.”

                Liam grimaced. “It’s great mate.”

                Zayn caught onto how forced Liam’s happy tone was, but decided not to ask him anything as they met the rest of the boys at the park.

                “C’mon you two!” Niall called as he kicked the ball to Liam.


	19. Micaela and the Message

## Micaela and the Message

                The microwave beeped rather loudly when the popcorn was done popping. She carefully removed the bag and poured the kernels into a big bowl waiting on the counter. Zayn wanted to show her a movie that she’d heard was scary and wished she’d stuck to her immediate refusal. She’d been unable to sway his decision and eventually caved in. If she reminded herself it was just a movie, it couldn’t be that bad, could it? Aunt Millie was out with Stan, leaving Micaela and Zayn alone tonight. Micaela wasn’t too nervous about that though. She was beginning to trust him, which wasn’t helping her attachment to go away. She was still scared he’d leave her as soon as he found out all about her.

                The doorbell rang and Zayn was on the other side with the movie in hand. “Hey Micaela,” he greeted.

                “Hi Zayn.”           

                He followed her into the living room and gave her the movie to set up. “How was your day today?” she asked.

                “Good. Talked to Wendy, and the boys and I pretended to be a band.”

                “Pretended to be a band?” Micaela was genuinely curious when she asked the question on her way to the kitchen. The popcorn was waiting next to the now cool cookies Aunt Millie had made before she left. Micaela wanted to put them on a plate. She reached up on her tip toes to reach the plate, and, as she brought it down, she sneezed. The force of the sneeze made her lose her grip on the plate and it fell to the floor, breaking.

                “Micaela?” Zayn called.

                On instinct, Micaela crouched to pick up the pieces before she remembered that Zayn didn’t want her cleaning up broken glass with her hand. He’d be mad. Her mind and body panicked as she heard the couch groan and footsteps coming near. She dropped the pieces she was holding and scurried out of the far kitchen door, hiding in the closet under the stairs. She heard Zayn’s footsteps in the kitchen, seeming to pause by the plate before they came ever closer. She started to tremble. He’d know she tried to clean it up and he’d be mad–furious–that she’d done it. He could tell Aunt Millie about the broken plate and she’d be mad. Micaela squealed when Zayn opened the closet door and smacked her head against the wall when she tried to get as far away as possible from him.

                “Are you alright? Why are you hiding?” Zayn asked softly crouching in front of her.

                Micaela bit her lip and leaned away. So much for the trust she’d thought she’d had in him.

                “Did you drop the plate?”

                Begging couldn’t hurt could it? “Please don’t hurt me.”

                Zayn scrunched up his nose and his face made it obvious the idea disgusted him. Micaela felt all the trust and more come back to her. “I’d never hurt you.”

                Micaela stared at him with wide eyes. “Pinky promise?” She held out her pinky.

                “Pinky promise,” Zayn murmured wrapping his pinky around hers.

                Just then the phone rang. Micaela looked like she’d seen a ghost as she stared into the kitchen. Zayn got up and went to check the caller ID. “Who’s Keith Benet?” he asked.

                Micaela crawled out of the closet and stood next to him giving him no reply.

                “Are you going to answer it?”

                “No.” Micaela replied curtly as the answering machine picked up.

                “Pick up your god damn phone for once in your fucking life. You can’t be out all the time, unless you’ve finally become the whore I always knew you were. Where’s Micaela? I know you know. You’re probably hiding that little bitch in your attic. Teach her how to be a slut like you so she can do something with her life.” He laughed bitterly. “Just like her bitch mother leaving me like that. Call me back when you’re done sucking whoever’s dick and tell me where my fucking daughter is.”

                Micaela was embarrassed and upset. Of all the night’s her dad had to call, he had to drunkenly choose tonight. Zayn stood silently next to her. She hadn’t felt the need to cry this strongly in so long. She wasn’t going to cry in front of Zayn though.

                “Micaela, are you–”

                “I don’t want to talk about it,” Micaela interrupted the tears evident in her voice. She turned away from him to go upstairs. Her whole body ached and she wanted to feel better. She choked on a sob as she prepared to take the first step up.

                Zayn was right behind her. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

                “I’m not going to hurt myself; I’m going to make myself feel better.” She was so close to tears it hurt to hold them in. Zayn reached for her hand that rested on the banister, knowing she’d jerk way, but wanting to comfort her in some way. He wasn’t prepared for how she reacted. “Don’t touch me!” She shrieked spinning to face him before she turned again to scramble away. She tripped up the stairs on the way to her bedroom. Zayn knew he couldn’t let her be alone and followed. “Stay away from me!” she screamed. She pitched forward as she tripped again and Zayn caught her around the waist. The tears streamed from her eyes and sobs wracked her little body. The moment Zayn’s arms went around her she felt a strange sense of safety instead of the fear she’d expected. When it was clear she wasn’t going to fight him, Zayn sat on the top step with her in his lap. He rocked her like he would Safaa after a nightmare or during a thunderstorm. Micaela cried and sniffled into his chest until her eyes ran dry and her lungs ached as they tried to get air. All the time Zayn rubbed her arm and cradled her close.


	20. Zayn and the Memories

## Zayn and the Memories

                “Micaela?” Zayn whispered to the girl in his lap.

                “Hmm?” she hummed.

                “Are you okay?” She looked up at him with red, puffy eyes and hair stuck in drying tear tracks. Obviously she wasn’t okay but he wanted to know if she felt a little better.

                “I’ll be fine. I’m sorry,” she murmured attempting to get off of him.

                “Don’t apologize. I’d be upset too.”

                Micaela blushed. “I’m sorry about that too. He was drunk.”

                This time she did stand up, brushed her hands off on her shirt, and went downstairs with Zayn following.

                “Was he always like that?”

                Micaela paused. “More often than not.”

                “Did he ever hurt you?” Micaela stiffened. Zayn remembered the picnic when they’d tried to play Duck, Duck, Goose and Micaela flinched before Safaa touched her; he remembered all the times he’d accidentally brushed against her and she’d practically shattered into a million pieces. All the secrets, antisocial behavior, the lack of friends–it all made sense with that one message from his little friend’s dad.

                “Yes.”

                Anger burned in his veins. How could a father hurt his own child? Zayn wanted to hold her again, but decided not to push his luck this time. He was shocked she’d let him hold her while she cried. “So you ran away?” he asked.

                Micaela sank onto the couch looking ever smaller. “Yes.”

                Zayn sat on the opposite end. Neither of them knew what to say or do next. Watching a horror film now felt trivial.

                “He’s right. I am like my mother.” Micaela said suddenly. “I left him just like she left us.”

                “You’re not like your mother,” Zayn said fiercely even though he didn’t know her mother, but being like her mother seemed better than being like her father.

                Micaela snorted. “You don’t know me well enough to say that.”

                Zayn smiled at her. “Then inform me.” It was bold and most likely insensitive to dare her like that, but he was going to play a friendly therapist because he figured she needed someone a little less flighty than Aunt Millie to talk to. Micaela watched him warily. He knew she had very little faith in people by now, but he knew something that would help her trust him. “Whatever is said at our sleepovers stays at our sleepovers. Pinky promise.” He held out his pinky and Micaela took it after a moment’s thought.

                “My dad was pretty normal, if a little less affectionate than most, until I was eight…”

                _A little girl sat at her kitchen table, her legs swinging back and forth since they were too short to reach the ground. She was looking at an album of wedding pictures with smiling faces and a woman in white she’d never seen before. Her dad came in from mowing the lawn. When she asked him who the woman in white was, he got truly angry with her for the first time. He took the album and threw it in the trash, forbidding her from ever mentioning “that bitch” again…_

                “…I asked Aunt Millie about her that Christmas and she told me it was my mom. My mom just left one night when I was two. No one really knows why. He became a drunk–or maybe he’d always been one–after I asked about the album. He was in and out of work and I started taking care of both of us. I was ten the first time he hit me…”

                _An older version of the little girl at the table came downstairs because she smelled breakfast. Usually she made breakfast. A woman she’d only ever seen drive away stood by the stove. The girl shrank back as the man she lived with came to the table. The woman took him a plate and set one for the girl too. The girl sat and ate hesitantly. The woman joined them with idle chatter that entered two pairs of ears but was returned by neither mouth. She left shortly after and the girl expressed her distaste. The man glared and slapped her across the face. The little girl yelped and ran to her room. Obviously her opinion was unimportant…_

“…It escalated from there. If things weren’t exactly right, I’d be hit, yelled at and insulted. Sometimes, if he was mad enough, he’d get a belt and…” Micaela’s throat closed momentarily as tears threatened. “I have scars on my back from those beatings. They got more frequent the fewer times I made any noise when he used his hands. He liked hearing my pain.

                “I thought about killing myself, but if I killed myself, I’d never get the revenge I wanted, so I decided my dad wouldn’t be the only one to hurt me. I cut myself, and it actually made the pain a little less.” She smirked to herself. “It gave me a little control over my own life too.” She went quiet after that.

                Zayn was speechless, but there was one thing he wanted to know in that moment. “Why do you make pinky promises?”

                “My dad pinky promised he’d never leave me like my mom did.” Micaela shrugged. “It was the one thing I could always count on.”


	21. Micaela and the Nightmare

## Micaela and the Nightmare

                “C’mon, time for bed,” Zayn murmured to a half-asleep Micaela. He gently nudged her shoulder which of course made her jump, but he quickly let go and stepped back. She yawned and slowly stood. She mumbled goodnight before ascending and crawling into bed.

               

                _She closed the door behind her, the ensuing click echoing down the hall. Hopefully she hadn’t woken him, but an angry growl from his bedroom told her otherwise. Her body trembled and her cries of fear stuck in her throat. She tried to run, but her feet seemed to be stuck or extremely sluggish. Her arm moved in slow motion as it reached for the door. “What are you doing out of bed? I thought I told you to go to bed!” he shouted loud enough to deafen her. He caught her around the waist and dragged her upstairs. He tossed her carelessly on the floor, not even apologizing for making her smack her head against the side of her bed. She curled into the fetal position on the floor hoping he’d go away. “He’s not going to come and help you now.” A clink of metal and the whistle of leather through air preceded a sharp sting on her now bare back. She whimpered; it hurt so much more than usual. Shouldn’t she be used to this by now? Another sting bit her back. “Zayn!” The cry left her lips before she could stop He laughed so hard he stopped hitting her for a moment. “He’s not going to come. Why would he want to help you?” The beating continued. “Zayn, help me! Please, Zayn! Please….”_

 

                “Micaela! Micaela, wake up!”

                Micaela opened her eyes letting out a whimper as big hands shook her. It was hard to make out who it was. “What did I do?” she whispered hoarsely slightly confused since she’d just woken up. The hands left her shoulders and turned on the lamp. She squinted in the sudden light.

                “You were screaming for me.”

                Zayn watched as Micaela’s eyes widened and an actual smile crossed her face. “You came,” she whispered. “He told me you wouldn’t.” Zayn was convinced Micaela was still half-asleep and unaware of her words.

                “Who said that?” he asked gently.

                Micaela had sat up and her eyes slid from him to the open door. “My dad.”

                “It was just a dream, Micaela. Go back to sleep.” Zayn gently pushed her back down, smoothing her hair out of her face. She looked up at him with a face that betrayed the tears she wasn’t going to let fall. “Are you going to leave me?”

                “No. I’m going to go back to the couch where I was sleeping.”

                Again Micaela’s eyes slid to the door. It was a blank rectangle that seemed to mock her. Any moment her father was going to materialize, and when he did, he’d kill Zayn for going near his daughter, and he’d beat her to within an inch of her life. She shuddered at the though. It’d only been a dream. Her dad was drunk back in Chicago now. Zayn turned off the lamp and moved to the door.

                “Zayn wait,” she called quietly just as he reached the doorframe. “I can’t go back to sleep.”

                “Why?” It was dark so he couldn’t see her clearly, but he assumed she’d be fiddling with the edge of her blanket.

                “I’m scared. Maybe if you stay he won’t come back. Please don’t leave me.”

                Zayn hesitated in the doorway. What would Aunt Millie think when she came home and found them in the same bed? Then again, he’d probably be gone by the time Aunt Millie returned. Did Micaela even want him to be in the same bed as her? It was extremely out of character. She didn’t like being touched even slightly. He didn’t want to climb up the stairs again, though, to wake her up and save her from her nightmare. “I’ll be right back.” He didn’t miss her cowering on the bed as he disappeared down the hall to the linen closet. He grabbed extra blankets and pillows before returning. He made a camp next to her bed under her watchful eyes. “I’m right here, Micaela. No one can hurt you.”

                Micaela shifted on the bed so she was barely perched on the edge. She could make out her friend’s back turned to her as he tried to fall asleep on the floor. She was thankful he hadn’t tried to sleep in the same bed as her. After he’d disappeared the full implication of what she’d done hit her and she was embarrassed. He probably thought she was going to become clingy now that she’d opened up, trusted him, and asked him to make the nightmares go away. He probably thought she was acting like a baby being scared of a man across the ocean.

                “Thank you, Zayn,” she sighed before slipping into a black sleep.


	22. Louis

## Louis

                “Thanks for picking me up, mate,” the curly haired boy said as he hopped in the passenger seat.

                “No problem,” Louis said. “How’d your date go?”

                Harry beamed out the windshield instantly getting lost in memories from earlier that day. “It was fantastic,” he sighed.

                Louis rolled his eyes. His youngest friend was enamored of Shelby, which was fine; expect Louis felt a little lonely. He and Harry had lived down the street from each other for forever and were always doing things together. Now Harry was always away with Shelby and that left Louis to entertain himself. Not that he was jealous or anything like that. In fact he had his eye on one of his classmates he’d seen a few times this summer.

                “How’s life?” Harry asked.

                “Eh. I don’t want to go to school.” Harry made a face at the mention of school causing Louis to chuckle.

                “I can’t believe the summer is almost over,” Harry mumbled.

                “Yep,” Louis said as they pulled up in front of Zayn’s house. Zayn’s sisters bounded out of the house as Louis and Harry got out of the car.

                “Where are you ladies headed?” Louis asked.

                “Doniya’s taking us shopping!” Waliyha exclaimed.

                Louis laughed as Doniya rolled her eyes and said. “You’d think they’d never left the house before.”

                Louis and Harry went inside and met the other three in Zayn’s living room. On Niall’s last night in London, they spent the night together playing video games and occasionally singing. Louis actually enjoyed the singing nights the best He also liked the idea of a band that Liam had suggested several times. Sold out stadiums full of screaming girls waiting for the five of them to come out and perform was one of his many dreams.

                “I’m thinking about going out for the _X-Factor_ ,” Liam said after they’d been talking for a bit.

                Louis raised his eyebrows. Liam wanted to go out for X-Factor? That was interesting, but not surprising. He was the most serious of the group about a music career.

                “That’s awesome,” Harry said. “I’ll be best friends with a celebrity.”

                The others chuckled. “What if he forgets about you?” Zayn asked.

                “You wouldn’t forget about me, would you, Liam?” Harry asked getting really close to Liam’s face.

                Liam was leaning away from Harry in an attempt to keep some distance between them. “Of course not Haz, but I did have another idea.”

                “What’s that?” Louis asked.

                “I was thinking we could all go together as a band.”

                Everyone sobered up at Liam’s suggestion. Louis couldn’t help the excitement that filled him at the thought. That would be so much fun, but he’d seen the X-Factor. Sometimes friendships and bands fell apart under the stress. Would that happen to them?

                “We aren’t really a band though,” Zayn said.

                “We could actually get serious about it and practice before we auditioned.”

                Louis could tell Liam had put forth a lot of effort into planning their band already. He was all for it, but were the others?”

                “I don’t know,” Niall said. “I’m obviously not here all the time.”

                “We could practice over Skype,” Liam said. He’d definitely thought this through.

                “I don’t dance,” Zayn said flatly.

                “No one said anything about dancing,” Niall said.

                “There’s a dancing part though. Doniya talks about it for days after it airs on television,” Zayn explained.

                “But that’s only part of boot camp,” Liam said quickly.

                Zayn was obviously on the fence about it; Niall seemed mostly agreeable; Harry was nodding like a bobble head; and Louis and Liam were both fully on board. Now there was an awkward silence since no one really knew what to say. Zayn received a text that made him grin like an idiot and Niall said, “Oi, no girls.”

                Zayn scowled and tucked his phone away.


	23. Micaela and Zayn

## Micaela and Zayn

                Zayn tapped his foot anxiously on the leg of his desk. He was excited to go see Micaela. They’d spent the weekend apart and all day today he’d been stuck at school. He hoped her dad hadn’t called because she always got upset. She also probably had barely eaten. It bothered him she didn’t eat. She’d waste away and he couldn’t have that. Liam kept giving him weird looks. Finally the bell rang and Zayn sprinted out, and then was forced to wait until his mom pulled up to get him.

                “Are you okay, baby?” she asked.

                “Yes. I’m ready to be home. Mind if I go over to Micaela’s?”

                Mrs. Malik laughed. “I haven’t minded the entire summer. Why would I mind now? Just be home for dinner. How was your first day?”

                “It was good.”

                “Did you see Wendy?” Mrs. Malik asked with a teasing smile.

                “Mum…” Zayn whined.

                “Well did you?”

                “Yes. We saw each other at lunch, but she was with her other friends,” Zayn mumbled as his mom pulled up to their house. Next door Aunt Millie was just leaving, suitcase in hand. Zayn though her new blue hair was much better than the lavender. He greeted her as he went to her door and she told him the door was unlocked. Zayn opened it and called to Micaela who came to the top of the stairs looking slightly puzzled.

                “Hi, Zayn.”

                “Hey, Micaela,” he greeted. “Why do you look so confused?”

                “Well, I just thought you’d go home after your first day at school and see your family.”

                “I’ll see them later.”

                Micaela nodded as she descended. “How was your day?” she asked.

                “It was good. A bit boring,” he replied. “How was yours?”

                “Good. Aunt Millie wants me to look at online classes, so that’s what I was looking at. Are you hungry?”

                “Yes. What do you have?”

                “I don’t really know, except for pop-tarts. I know we have those.”

                “Is that all you eat?”

                Micaela shrugged. “Pretty much.”

                “Why don’t you eat anything else?”

                “Meals were always stressful with my dad. When I’m nervous I get nauseous and so food doesn’t always appeal to me,” she finished quietly.

                “Can I hug you?” he asked suddenly.

                Micaela looked at him as if he’d just sprouted an arm out of his chest. “Why?”

                “Because that’s what you need, or at least that’s what Doniya would say.”

                “Okay, I guess, just not too long.”

                “Are you sure you won’t have a panic attack?”

                “I’m not as bad as I used to be; at least not with you.”

                Zayn opened his arms and motioned for her to step in. Micaela hesitantly put her arms around her and held her, counting to five in his head. While he held her, Micaela felt her heart soar and immediately shied away from the feeling. Zayn let go so she unwound herself and stepped away.

                “Promise if I eat, you’ll eat?” he asked. Micaela nodded; keep him happy and he’ll stick around. “Then let’s eat some pop-tarts.”

                Micaela turned away from her friend and went to the cabinet. The pop-tarts were on the bottom shelf of the cabinet, but Micaela still had trouble reaching. Zayn chuckled and got the box for her.

                “Thank you,” she said quietly.

                “Any time,” he replied.

                She busied herself with getting the toaster out and beginning to toast the pastries. Zayn made jokes she barely laughed at and she got him talking about school and acting. Just as she was starting to relax and enjoy his company, the phone rang. She shrank away from the sound as if it physically struck her. Zayn hopped off the stool he’d been sitting on to check the caller ID. “It’s Keith,” he deadpanned. Micaela began to shake; her dad’s messages had been getting worse and worse. Zayn put a finger to his lips telling her to be quiet before he picked up the phone. She hurried to his side to stop him from answering, but he didn’t let her. “Hello?” he asked sounding irritated. Micaela could hear her dad, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” Zayn moved the phone’s microphone from his mouth and shouted to no one in particular, “Janie would you turn that damn television down!” Returning to the phone he said, “I think you’ve got the wrong number.” Her dad’s voice crackled into his ear. “I’ve lived in this fucking place for ten years now. You’ve got the wrong damn number.” Zayn hung up the phone, but not before he started “arguing” with “Janine”. “He shouldn’t bother us at least until he’s sober,” he said to Micaela.

                Micaela looked away with a blush. “You could have just–”

                The phone rang again and Zayn saw it was her dad calling back. “Let’s go for a walk,” he suggested. They grabbed their cold pop-tarts and scrambled for the front door.


	24. Aunt Millie

# Aunt Millie

                “Are you sure you’ll be okay? You can leave whenever if you get uncomfortable,” Aunt Millie fretted.

                Micaela smiled, though Aunt Millie saw the nerves in her face. “I’ll be okay. Zayn will be there so I’ll be okay.”

                Aunt Millie gave her a wicked smile. “Zayn, huh?”

                “What?” Micaela asked giving her aunt a puzzled look.

                “You and Zayn spend a lot of time together. I noticed he wasn’t sleeping on the couch last night.”

                Micaela blushed at her aunt’s insinuation. “He sleeps on my floor.”

                “Mmhmm,” her aunt hummed with a smile.

                “He does! I promise!”

                “We’re going to be late! Where are your shoes?” Aunt Millie changed the subject.

                “They’re on my feet and we’re only going next door. There’s no way we’ll be late.” Micaela was grateful her aunt dropped the subject of Zayn’s sleeping arrangements.

                Aunt Millie shooed her niece out of the house and up the Maliks’ front steps. She rapped smartly on the door and was quickly answered by Safaa. The little girl’s eyes widened when she saw Micaela. Aunt Millie spotted Zayn emerging from farther in the house replacing his youngest sister at the door. “Glad you made it,” he said quietly to Micaela.

                Aunt Millie floated past him and joined Mrs. Malik in the kitchen. “Hello darling!” she trilled happily to her neighbor.

                Mrs. Malik looked up from the soup she was stirring to smile at Aunt Millie. “Hey, Millie. How have you been?”

                “Good. Stan is taking me to Russia for a few weeks. It’s going to be so nice.”

                “Wow. Will Micaela be okay?”

                Aunt Millie nodded. “Yes. You can check on her occasionally, but I’ll assume Zayn will be there practically 24/7.”

                Mrs. Malik chuckled at that. “I’m sure he will be. He’s not inconveniencing you is he?”

                “Absolutely not. Micaela seems to get along well with him.”

                “How’s she doing? Did she come tonight?”

                “Yes, she did. I was surprised when she asked if she could. She’s doing so much better than I ever thought she would. I’m glad Zayn stuck around.”

                “That boy is almost as stubborn as a mule.” With a final stir and taste, Mrs. Malik announced dinner. The eight of them sat around the table; the adults on one end and the kids filling the other Micaela sat between Zayn and Safaa quietly eating and listening. Zayn made sure to include her in conversation any chance he could and she seemed too grown more and more comfortable with his sisters.

                “So she’s not going to school?” Mr. Malik asked Aunt Millie.

                “No. It’s better for her safety that there’s no official record of her here.” Aunt Millie glanced down the table at her smiling niece. “Her dad is dangerous, and I’m protecting her here.”

                Mister and missus Malik glanced at each other but agreed with their neighbor. “Where does her dad live?” Mrs. Malik asked.

                “Aunt Millie caught the concern in her neighbor’s voice. “Chicago and he’s too drunk to do anything properly about it.”


	25. Micaela and the Decision

## Micaela and the Decision

                “My sisters aren’t that bad are they?” Zayn asked as they went into his bedroom.

                “No. I like them just fine,” Micaela replied quietly.

                “So people other than me and your aunt can like you?”

                Micaela rolled her eyes. “I suppose, but that doesn’t mean that your sister’s won’t get tired of me.”

                Zayn frowned at her as he sat on his bed. “It’s impossible to get tired of you.”

                Again she rolled her eyes. “You have to say that. You’re my friend.” She became too engrossed in exploring his room to see him roll his eyes and shake his head at her. The baby blue walls were covered in pictures, paintings, and posters some obviously hand drawn. “Did you do these?” Micaela asked as she admired the walls. She glanced over her shoulder to see him nod. “You’re really good.” Her eyes travelled over a short bookshelf, the old fashioned, multicolored Christmas lights strung along the closet door frame. Done looking, Micaela turned to her friend on the bed. She took a seat beside him within easy reach of the cluttered nightstand.

                She picked up a picture that was pressed against the wall by the digital clock. Five boys, one being Zayn, were sitting on a couch almost in each other’s laps because the couch was so small. “Are these your other friends?”

                “Yes,” Zayn said scooting closer to her. He supported himself on the arm he extended behind her and used his other to point at each of the boys. “That one is Niall. He actually lives in Ireland. He’s Wendy’s cousin. That’s Liam I have a story about him. The curly haired one is Harry and the one next to him Louis. He’s the oldest.” Micaela studied the picture a few minutes trying to learn the names and faces. “They want to meet you,” Zayn murmured.

                Micaela turned her head to the side to face him. He was closer than she expected, but it didn’t bother her anymore. “Me? Why?”

                Zayn smiled. “I guess I talk about you too much.”

                “You must make me sound…pathetic.”

                Zayn’s brow furrowed. “I think I make you sound interesting. Do you want to meet them?”

                “I’ll disappoint them.” Micaela learned it was better to voice her feelings to Zayn instead of making excuses. He usually saw through them anyway.

                “You’re not going to disappoint them,” Zayn sighed. “Do you want to meet them or not?”

                Micaela nibbled her lip. She was absolutely terrified of the other boys. Zayn must have made her sound pretty pathetic if they wanted to meet her. She must sound like a poor, helpless soul who needed her neighbor to make friends for her. “I want to meet them, but I…” She struggled for a moment. “My dad told me I would be an annoying bitch forever. I…have a hard time shaking that now,” she finished in a hoarse whisper.

                “You dad was a liar,” Zayn said cautiously pulling her into his lap to hold her properly. Micaela rested her head on his shoulder wiling herself to believe him. “I want to meet your friends,” she murmured.  


	26. The Boys and Zayn's Neighbor

## The Boys and Zayn’s Neighbor

                Zayn waited nervously outside Micaela’s house for Louis to bring Harry and Liam over. There was no need to worry about Liam, but Louis and Harry were the causes of Zayn’s current anxiety. They were very intense and did not heed warnings well. His mind could just picture the two of them barging into the house and scaring Micaela to death. She was putting on a brave face for him, but Zayn could tell she was scared to say the least. Louis’ car came to the curb and the three boys piled onto the sidewalk. Zayn had talked to Liam already about remaining calm at first, but Louis and Harry still needed talking to.

                Zayn faced the two best friends. “Promise you’ll remain calm. Micaela will freak out if it’s too much at one time.”

                “Calm is my middle name,” Louis said proudly. Harry snickered and Liam rolled his eyes.

                “Behave for five minutes, that’s all I’m asking,” Zayn sighed as he opened the door.

                Liam was the first to see her after Zayn made a beeline for her huddled form on the couch. She was just as small as Zayn had said, but there was something about her wide eyes as she looked him over that made his heart clench. With her feet tucked beneath her and her hands wrapped protectively around her knees, he instantly felt the need to protect her.  He smiled at her and got a small one in return. “Hi, I’m Liam,” he said.

                “Hello, Liam. I’m Micaela.”

                Louis was next to see her. Zayn’s neighbor reminded him of a little kid who was too scared to talk to you unless they hid behind their mother’s legs and only peeked around to see you. He wanted her to smile and lose the deer-in-the-headlights look, though something told him she always looked like that. Zayn had also been right about her wanting to bolt from the room. Holding her legs and pressing her body into the couch cushions was hiding the major body tremors, but he could see her shaking in the strand of hair quivering by her ear. “Hey, Micaela. I’m Louis.”

                “Hi Louis.”

                Harry took his time watching how Zayn hovered behind her occasionally petting her head or squeezing her shoulder. He also observed how Louis and Liam hung back to talk to and look at her. Curled as tightly as she could be at the end of the couch in a sweatshirt and shorts she reminded Harry of a scared kitten who didn’t know how the next person was going to treat her. From what Zayn had mentioned, she needed to be reminded she was a person too and acting like there was something abnormal about her wasn’t going to help. With a shrug, Harry went into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to her. “Hello, sweetheart. I’m Harry,” he introduced thrusting his hand out to her, not missing the visible flinch his sudden movement elicited.

                Zayn raised his eyes to the ceiling at his curly haired friend.

                “Hi Harry. I’m Micaela.” Zayn’s neighbor whispered reaching out with a trembling hand to shake his. Harry grinned at her and began talking quickly. Liam and Louis joined them on the couch, and Zayn situated himself on the couch with Micaela in his lap.

                After a bit of talking, Micaela excused herself to the kitchen to get some snacks. Liam followed offering to help even though she denied needing his assistance.

                “Sorry about Harry,” he said.

                “It’s okay. I can tell he’s just sort of like that,” Micaela spoke quietly.

                Liam smiled. He liked her a lot, even though they only met an hour ago. “Let me,” he said getting a bowl from a high shelf for her. She poured some potato chips in it before the two of them rejoined the others.

                “I say we play truth or dare to get to know each other better,” Louis suggested.

                “What do you think, Micaela?” Zayn asked, knowing that she may not know what the game was or she may be too scared to play.

                “What’s that?” she whispered to him.

                “You’ve never played truth or dare?” Harry asked.

                “I haven’t done a lot of things,” she admitted to the surprise of herself and Zayn.

                “We go around in a circle and you are asked to pick truth or dare. No lying when answering a truth and no backing out of a dare. It’s simple really,” Harry explained.

                “Maybe I’ll just watch,” Micaela murmured.

                Harry smiled and turned to Liam. “Truth or dare, Liam?”

                Liam smirked. “Dare.”


	27. Aunt Millie

## Aunt Millie

                “I don’t want to have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to see you again,” Stan mumbled against Millie’s lips as they said goodnight on the front porch.

                “But I have an appointment in the morning.”

                “Sex doesn’t have to be part of our sleepovers.”

                Aunt Millie looked up into Stan’s eyes. She sighed giving into his puppy dog eyes. “Alright, but no sex. Micaela is just down the hall.”

Stan nodded and Aunt Millie led him upstairs to her room. She hummed to herself as she went through her nightly routine. Stan stripped down to his boxers and socks. He stretched out on the bed to watch Aunt Millie flit from spot to spot.

 “You’ll need a towel in the morning,” she mumbled. Aunt Millie left the room and retrieved a towel from the linen closet. “Did you see a boy sleeping on the couch?” She asked Stan when she returned.

His brow furrowed. “No. It was dark and my eyes were...distracted,” he explained as his eyes traveled down to Millie’s ass again.

She tutted her disapproval. “I’m going to check on Micaela.” Aunt Millie left the room once again. She tried to open the door as silently as possible, but the hinges still creaked. She waited to see if there was any sign that she’d woken her niece, but all seemed okay. She opened the door and peered in. Zayn had invested in a nightlight to help ease Micaela’s fear of the dark. By its soft yellow glow, Aunt Millie saw Zayn’s usual spot next to Micaela’s bed was empty tonight. She was mildly surprised, but it warmed her heart to see that they were in the same bed. She knew Zayn wouldn’t push Micaela beyond her limits and sex was definitely beyond Micaela’s limit so she wasn’t scared of that. Her heart was further warmed when Micaela began to wiggle and whimper, but Zayn drew her close and calmed her with words spoken half asleep. Aunt Millie smiled and closed the door.

“What happened?” Stan asked his grinning lover when she returned.

“Nothing. Why do you have one of my scarves?”

Stan gave her a wicked smirk. “No reason. Now come to bed.”

 


	28. Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

## Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

                She talked a lot when she was tired, and now a little before midnight, she finally took a breath. He felt her yawn against his chest before snuggling closer. “I told you you wouldn’t be able to stay up as long as me,” he teased.

                “Oh hush. I’m letting you talk now,” she mumbled.

                He chuckled. “Remember that costume party your aunt dragged me to?”

                She was suddenly awake with indignation. “I told you, you didn’t have to go.”

                “I wasn’t about to let you go alone. You would have had a panic attack.”

                “And you never would have gotten my nickname,” she murmured settling down again.

                He laughed. “No, no I wouldn’t have.”

                She smiled and began fiddling with the hem of his shirt with her eyes closed. Every time her fingers brushed his skin, she felt him stiffen.

                “Baby girl…” he sighed.

                “Hmm?” she hummed.

                “What happened to not doing that?”

                “You said you weren’t going to be able to sleep.”

                He reached down, grasping her wrists in his hand and rolling over so they were pinned above her head. “It was your idea to just talk till I fell asleep.”

                She pouted as she looked up at him. “But that’s no working.”

                He chuckled. “We both knew it wouldn’t.”

                She rolled her eyes and wiggled until he let go of her wrists and rolled to her side. She wasn’t sleepy anymore.

                “Remember Wendy?”

                She immediately scowled and clenched her fists. “Why bring her up?”

                “Became she’s the reason we’re here now.”

                She rolled on top of him so her legs were between his. She folded her arms on his chest to create a platform for her chin. “She is?”

                “Sort of.”

                She shook her head with a smile. “I don’t think she had anything to do with us.”

                “Really?”

                “It was all you, remember?”

                He smiled at her, his hand running through her hair once. “I remember perfectly…”

 


	29. Micaela and the Birthday

## Micaela and the Birthday

                “Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” Zayn yelled as he bounced on the mattress. Micaela groaned and rolled over putting a pillow over her head. “Wake up!” The pillow was tossed to the floor and she was gently shaken. “We’re celebrating all day and we can’t do that if you sleep through the morning.”

                Micaela opened her eyes slowly, frowning at her best friend. “What would we be celebrating all day today?” She knew, but she liked to mess with him.

                His mouth fell open and his eyes widened a moment before he scowled and narrowed his eyes. She grinned up at him, before shrieking as the tickling commenced. He knew exactly where her softest, most ticklish parts were and he exploited that knowledge whenever he could. She knew of no way to make him stop. Occasionally she found herself wanting to kiss him and throw him for a complete loop, but that would be weird.

                “Zayn! Zayn! Zayn! Stop! Please!” she shrieked as tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

                “Does someone need help?” a boy shouted from the door.

                Micaela twisted to find Louis in her bedroom doorway. “Help me Lou!”

                “Where’s my sidekick?” Louis asked himself turning towards the stairwell. Harry’s curls preceded his face appearing in the doorway.

                “What’s the situation?” Louis’ sidekick asked.

                “A damsel in distress!” Louis exclaimed with a dramatic point towards the bed.

                Harry let out what would be considered a war cry as he charged into the room tackling Zayn off the bed. Louis followed behind him to scoop Micaela into his arms. Her two rescuers left Zayn on his back as they rushed down the stairs. Micaela granted them both a kiss on the cheek in thanks.

                “Happy birthday, gorgeous,” Harry murmured in her ear as she pulled away.

                “Don’t let me hear you all her that again. I’ll be jealous,” Shelby warned from the living room.

                “You couldn’t even hear me,” Harry shot back with a grin.

                She tapped the side of her head. “I can read minds remember?”

                “I wouldn’t want him dating her anyway,” Zayn said as he came behind Harry.

                “Nobody likes me, everybody hates me…” Harry started singing.

                “I like you,” Louis said following Harry into the living room.

                “That’s all I need then,” Harry sighed batting his eyes at his best friend.

                Micaela and Zayn snickered as they followed them to the living room. Aunt Millie, who was singing in the kitchen, had laid out an impressive breakfast spread in the living room. Micaela’s mouth watered at the sight of a bowl overflowing with pineapple with a pink sticky note deeming it hers and hers alone. Her tongue snuck out and licked her lips earning a chuckle from everyone.

                “Come sit here,” Liam said patting his lap. “I’m closest.” Micaela jumped in his lap, pulling her pineapple bowl to her chest. Other than Zayn, Liam was the only other one of the boys she felt comfortable enough to sit so close to. She could lean her head on the others’ shoulders and lay next to them when they camped out in the living room, but full on cuddling was reserved for Liam and Zayn. “Sleep well?” Liam asked.

                Mouth full of pineapple, Micaela just nodded.

                “There’s the birthday girl!” Aunt Millie trilled as she brought out a plate of chocolate chip pancakes. Placing the fresh stack on the coffee table, Aunt Millie smacked her lips against Micaela’s forehead loudly. “Happy 16th, sweetheart! Now where did I put your presents?”

                The mere mention of gifts had Micaela blushing. Aunt Millie spoiled her rotten as it was and birthday presents seemed a little overboard on top of all the presents Aunt Millie brought her from her trips around the world.

                “Stop that. It’s your birthday.” Zayn said knowing exactly were Micaela’s train of thought was headed.

                Micaela swallowed her pineapple and smiled. “I know.”

                “Here we are!” Aunt Millie said as she and her carrot colored hair returned. “This is the first one I could find.” Micaela put her bowl down and leaned forward to take the small silver box topped with a purple bow her aunt offered. Aunt Millie believed having one stash of presents hidden in the house was dangerous and so she hid them all over the place. Being as scatter-brained as she was, Aunt Millie consequently would lose gifts. Playing hide and seek one day with Zayn, Micaela had found a present in the closet under the stairs in March. It was a Christmas present her aunt had forgotten about.

                “Don’t presents usually go with cake?” Shelby asked Harry.

                He shook his head. “If we did that, Aunt Millie would forget where they all were.”

                “Oh my,” Micaela sighed as she pulled out a string of pearls.

                Aunt Millie beamed. “I knew you’d like them.”

                Leaving Micaela to admire the gift, Aunt Millie turned to Zayn. “Your family is coming for dinner tonight right?”

                Zayn nodded. Micaela was too busy admiring the necklace to notice movement outside the house or the secret glance the others shared. Liam squeezed her, drawing her out of her happy daze. “Why don’t you answer the door?” he suggested.

                “Why? No one’s even–” Just as she began to say that no one was even at the door, someone knocked. Micaela placed the opened gift box on the table next to the bowl of pineapple pushing off of Liam’s lap. As she passed Harry, he smacked her butt lightly. She yelped and glared at him. He smiled brightly waving her to the door. Micaela hesitantly tugged the door open and pecked outside. Her eyes and mouth opened wide. “Niall!” she shrieked. She wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. “I missed you!”

                Niall hadn’t been able to come down this summer, and Micaela had believed he wasn’t going to make it for her birthday. “I missed you too, princess.” Lifting her up like she weighed nothing and was a little girl again, he carried her into the living room to hellos from everyone else. “What are we up to today?” He asked, depositing Micaela into Zayn’s lap.

                “Celebrating the fact Micaela can finally legally admit to all the fabulous sex she and Zayn have been having,” Harry teased his tone matter of fact.

                “Haz!” Zayn, Micaela, and Liam cried together.

                “I don’t want to think of my little sister like that,” Liam muttered rubbing his temples.

                “We’re not sleeping together anyway,” Zayn said. And those were the words that hurt Micaela more than the slight falter in her smile would ever let on. It wasn’t that she wanted to sleep with Zayn, but if they were to have sex then that would mean they were I a relationship and that was what she wanted. There was seemingly only one problem and that problem was seated on the floor at Niall’s feet: Wendy. Zayn adored her and often nights would be spent scheming and practicing how he would ask her out. Micaela, as the best friend, was as helpful and supportive, even though she wanted to scream he was breaking his promise not to hurt her. (That was probably a physical thing rather than and emotional thing anyway.) Turning her eyes from Wendy, Micaela saw Shelby and Harry cuddling. Only recently had Shelby started to spend time with them. Micaela didn’t mind Shelby and having another girl around was always a nice break from the constant testosterone, but Shelby could tease her into a blushing and speechless mess and had her running back to the boys. Micaela wanted what Shelby and Harry had and she really wanted it with Zayn.

                “You didn’t finish your pineapple,” Zayn said handing Micaela the bowl.

                She twisted to look at him. “I thought you weren’t going to force feed me anymore.”

                “You’re the one with the bowl.”

                Micaela giggled, quickly chewing a piece of pineapple. “One for me.” She picked up a second piece and offered it to Zayn. “One for you.” He smiled at the old game as he took the pieced she offered him, his lips ghosting over her fingers causing her to blush. He’d used it to get her to eat an entire meal while her appetite was growing.

                Snapping the two of them out of their little trance was Wendy asking, “What happened to your arm, Micaela?”

                It was an unspoken rule among the boys and an unspoken rule placed on Shelby that no one asked Micaela anything about the past. That information was on a need-to-know basis. Wendy didn’t hang out with them much, but the irritation that she’d even been rude enough to ask was evident on everyone’s faces. Micaela pulled her arms close to her and shrunk a bit in Zayn’s lap. Before Micaela was forced to answer, Aunt Millie came in saying, “Why don’t you all go out back and play or do whatever you teens do these days while I clean up and get the cake ready?”

                Everyone leapt at the opportunity leaving Wendy’s question unanswered. Zayn and Micaela were the last two lingering in the living room. Wendy offered to help Aunt Millie so she was still in the kitchen.

                Zayn stopped Micaela from piling used plates. “Smile, love, it’s your birthday.” Micaela leaned into him for a much needed hug. Zayn tickled her for a moment to get her laughing before dragging her out to the small plot grass that counted for a backyard. Micaela shrieked and jumped into him as she was suddenly smacked by a water balloon.

                “Ten points for me!” Louis shouted.

                Micaela gladly took the balloon Zayn offered her and flung it at Louis hitting his shoulder which caused him to get a mock horrified look on his face…

               

“…Happy birthday to you!” Those gathered finished singing on many different, out-of-tune pitches. Micaela chuckled as the candles flickering below her begged to be blown out.

                “Make a wish little sis,” Liam said from his seat on the stool beside her.

                Micaela glanced around and found Niall standing next to her. She took his hand which earned her a puzzled look. “I’m borrowing some of the luck of the Irish,” she murmured earing a few chuckles from her friends. She took a big breath, glanced up and made eye contact with Zayn, and blew out all of her candles. The lights in the kitchen came on and Aunt Millie began passing out slices.

                “What did you wish for?” Safaa asked.  

                “She can’t tell you or it won’t come true,” Doniya told her little sister. “You know that.”

                Micaela smiled and glanced at the sisters’ brother, probably giving her wish away if they’d been paying attention.

 


	30. Liam and Zayn's Exciting News

## Liam and Zayn’s Exciting News

                “Hurry up Micaela!” Niall shouted from his sprawled position on the couch.

                “Hush. I’m right here,” she said dropping a bowl of popcorn in his lap.

                “Thanks baby girl,” he said through a mouthful of popcorn.

                Those in the living room could hear Aunt Millie thanking Wendy for all her help today. As Micaela sat next to Zayn she could tell something was bothering him; he looked like me was in physical pain. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

                “I’ll be right back,” he announced popping from his seat and bolting for the door.

                Liam watched his friend go before returning his eyes to the sixteen year old sitting by the recently vacated spot. He knew that she knew what Zayn was doing, but she was trying to mask the fact that it was hurting. Everyone except Zayn could tell that he was Micaela’s world; or maybe he did and just didn’t understand the full extent of her obvious feelings. Liam couldn’t help the brotherly annoyance that accompanied his thoughts of Zayn. Right after he met Micaela, he’d basically adopted her as a little sister and he took his brotherly duties seriously. Most brothers might not want their friends to date their younger sisters, but Liam wanted no one but Zayn for Micaela. There’d been several occasions where Zayn had started gushing about Wendy and he’d wanted to tell him to shut up about her, but one look at his little sister had him keeping his mouth shut. How she could sit and listen to him without bursting into tears?

                “Are you okay?” Louis asked Micaela noticing the way she was looking towards the door where you could just see Zayn’s back.

                “I’m fine, Lou,” she murmured just as Zayn came back grinning like a fool.

                His heart was soaring as it raced in his chest. “She said yes!”

                “Who said yes?” Niall asked.

                “Wendy.”

                “Yes to what?” Harry asked.

                “To going out with me Saturday night.” He commenced happy dancing while the others watched with guarded smiles.

                “Congratulations, Zayn. I told you it wouldn’t be that hard,” Micaela forced from her mouth.

                “Thanks Mickey Mouse,” he said plopping down next to his little friend.

                “Let’s play truth or dare,” Liam suggested.

                “Can I ask the first question?”

                “Sure,” Liam said passing her Harry’s phone where the app was already pulled up.

                She held it close to her face, scrunching up her face as she tried to decide who to ask. “Liam, truth or dare?”

                “Truth.”

                “It’s a group truth,” she announced after she selected truth. “Each of the group members needs to tell everyone the most embarrassing nickname they’ve ever had.”

                “Ladies first,” Louis said.

                Micaela bit her lip. “I’ve not had any really embarrassing. I’ve not really had any nicknames other than Mickey Mouse really.”

                “Monkey butt,” Louis said suddenly.

                “What are you talking about Boo Bear?” Harry asked.

                “That’s what her most embarrassing nickname is going to be. I’m going to call her Monkey Butt now.”

                “Okay…mine would be little leprechaun I guess,” Niall said.

                “Did you carry around a pot of gold?” Harry asked.

                Niall scowled and threw a pillow at the curly head of his friend.

                “Harry already brought up mine, though I think Lottie called me Bob for no reason when she was really little.”

                Liam chuckled happy the subject of Zayn’s relationship had been almost forgotten. He could see Micaela glance every now and then at Zayn with wounded eyes, but she seemed to be handling it well. He’d talk to her later.


	31. Micaela and Liam

## Micaela and Liam

                Micaela was awake before everyone else like all their other sleepovers. She was squished between Zayn and Liam. She sighed and closed her eyes, but her content daze slowly evaporated the longer she dwelled on Zayn. Everything would be different now that he was dating Wendy. What would he do differently now that he actually had to consider another girl’s feelings? Would they still cuddle and hug? Would he still sleep in the same bed as her? She hoped he would. She didn’t want the nightmares to return. Micaela glanced down at her waist where Zayn’s arm rested. More than a few times it had been that arm that kept her from screaming in her sleep.

                Rustling behind her drew her out of her thoughts. Twisting around her eyes met Liam’s. They mouthed good morning to each other before Micaela got up. She stumbled to the stairs only slightly aware that Liam was following her. She flitted into her bedroom and tried to keep Liam out, but he caught the door in his hand. “Let me in, honey.”

                Micaela slowly opened the door fighting the tears as hard as she could. She turned away when the struggle became too much and Liam watched in horror as her shoulders began to quiver. It’d been so long since she’d cried. Liam closed the door before he picked her up and sat cradling her on her bed.

                “Talk to me, princess,” he murmured.

                She grunted and squirmed in his lap. He knew she wasn’t going to be able to talk right away, but the words were just a reminder that she could. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she tried to keep her sobs quiet. All her emotions were too much for her right now. Talking would certainly help, but right now there weren’t adequate words except for a choked, “It hurts.”

                “I’m sorry, princess. I wish I could make it go away.”

                Micaela knew a way that the pain could go away for a little bit, but the boys would have her head if she acted on the impulse scratching at her wrists. “I just wish he could see what we could see in her,” she mumbled. “But he’s happy now, so that’s good. Everything will be okay.” She uncurled from his lap and began cleaning.

                Liam chewed his lip as he watched her clean a clean room. She only did this when she was stressed or upset; obviously he could tell how she was feeling.

                “They’ll probably get married,” Micaela began rambling. “I’ll be the best man.” The joke was humorless. “He’ll be ecstatic and so will I. They’ll move somewhere just as pretty as she is and have three adorable kids and a couple dogs. We’ll of course get the gang together for big football games and holidays. Everything will be just peachy.” She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she searched for something else to clean. She became more distressed the longer she looked. She started pulling at her air and that’s when Liam stepped in. “Everything’s going to change now isn’t it? He won’t’ be able to spend so much time with me. No more sleepovers…oh God. Liam, I can’t sleep without him. I can barely function sometimes because…”

                “Micaela breathe,” Liam ordered.

                Her mouth opened and closed but no air was taken in. She was starting to panic. She’d gotten too dependent, too attached, and for not getting rid of Zayn two years ago, karma was taking vengeance.

                “Nothing will change. Everything will be okay,” Liam said in an effort to calm her.

                “No it won’t. Don’t lie!” She pushed him away though he barely budged. “Zayn won’t do anything to jeopardize his relationship, and I’m a problem.”

                Liam had never heard Micaela mad; irritated, sure, but never mad. He was further shocked when she flung a pillow at the mirror on the back of her door. She abruptly stopped and blushed at her sudden outburst saying dully, “Sometimes I’m as bed as he was” Liam understood ‘he’ to be her father.

                “It’s alright to be mad,” Liam said.

                “I shouldn’t be mad at my best friend. It’s not like he knows.”

                “No like he knows what?”

                Micaela and Liam froze in shock when they turned and saw Zayn in the doorway. Micaela paled. How much had he heard? But that was something to think about later; he was waiting for an answer that she supplied. “Not like you know you elbowed me in your sleep.”

                Zayn was instantly worried. “I did? Where? I’m sorry Mickey-Mouse.”

                As he worried over her, she smiled, but Liam could see the bittersweet taste Zayn’s worry left in her mouth. 


	32. Niall

## Niall

                Niall slammed the front door when he crossed the threshold. The loud noise made Wendy ump from her place on the couch where she’d been watching television and texting Zayn. Niall stomped up the stairs and her curiosity compelled her to follow. It wasn’t every day she got to Niall’s temper. “What’s up?” she asked as she leaned against the door frame of his room.

                “What the hell are you up to?” he demanded turning the whole force of his anger on her.

                “Whatever do you mean?” Wendy asked.

                “Why did you agree to go out with Zayn? What are you trying to do? Make Devin or Mark or some other dick jealous?”

                Wendy at least had the decency to act innocent, though said act fueled Niall’s anger more. “I don’t know what you mean.”

                Niall rolled his eyes. “Of course you do. I haven’t seen you truly happy with someone since Peter.”

                Wendy glared at him before spinning away. With her disappearance Niall’s anger dissipated and a text from Delilah helped ease his temper. Blonde and always smiling, Delilah was one of his closest friends. He adored her and was hopelessly in love. And luckily she felt the same way. Two weeks ago he’d asked her to be his girlfriend, and she’d agreed. He loved how cliché they were. Just as his mood brightened at the thought of Delilah, he heard Wendy’s voice talking loudly, presumably to Zayn, over the phone. Niall was quick to close his door to not hear her. He turned his attention to Delilah.

 **Delilah:** How’s it going?

 **Niall:** Eh. Zayn asked Wendy out.

 **Delilah:** Oh? What did she say?

 **Niall:** Yes :(

 **Delilah:** Oh no! What about Micaela?

 **Niall:** She’s upset.

 

                It had seemed this morning Zayn had been too blinded by his own happiness to see that Micaela had obviously been crying a few minutes before she, Liam, and Zayn had returned to the living room. Niall wanted to hit him for being so dumb. Micaela may as well have had why her not me? Tattooed on her forehead by the way she looked at him when he turned away to do something. Niall had to commend her on her efforts to act as if nothing was wrong. He’d be sure to give her an extra hug because the road was only going to get tougher. Wendy was controlling in a relationship and she wouldn’t like that Zayn spent almost all his spare time with Micaela. She would tell him, and then demand him to stop spending time with Micaela. Niall wasn’t sure what Zayn would do with that. At first, Zayn would probably try to please Wendy, but that would hurt Micaela even though she’d “understand”.

                Niall frowned. Micaela was too nice. If Zayn was happy she was “happy”, and even if she wasn’t she’d pretend to be.

                “Hey Niall?” Wendy called.

                “Yeah?”

                “Where do you want to get dinner from?”

                Did she even have to ask? He was off his bed, down the stairs chanting Nando’s as fast as he possibly could.


	33. Micaela

****

## Micaela

                It was the first night in two years she’d been completely alone. Every other night there’d be a boy lying next to her, music he’d picked for her playing, or a promise she’d chant in her head until she fell asleep. There was none of that tonight. Zayn was definitely not here. There were cold sheets next to her to prove that fact. There was no music tonight because it reminded her of Zayn’s absence, and was either too loud or too soft. There was no promise to repeat because he’d been so nervous about his first date. Micaela hadn’t been foolish enough to think that Zayn wouldn’t change a thing about their relationship. She was fully supportive, even if she thought Wendy was a manipulative bitch.

                “That’s mean,” Micaela scolded herself. “Zayn is allowed to go on a date with the girl who he’s been in love with for forever. You are still his best friend.”

                She turned to her nightstand when it lit up. No one other than Zayn usually texted this late.

 **Liam:** You’re not asleep are you?

 **Micaela:** No.

 **Liam:** We’ll get together tomorrow, but only if you go to sleep.

 **Micaela:** Okay. Goodnight. :)

 

                Micaela hopped off the couch with a smile. She was looking forward to her day with Liam. They didn’t always do much, but they always had a good time. Micaela had abandoned locking the door for her friends, so when someone knocked or rang the doorbell, she got a little nervous. Micaela peeked out the peephole and felt her smile widen when it wasn’t Liam on the other side of the door.  “Zayn!” she leapt into her best friend’s arms and squeezed as tightly as she could. “I missed you!”

                “I missed you too,” Zayn returned. “You didn’t sleep at all did you?” She could hear the guilt in his voice, and while she didn’t want him to be with Wendy, Micaela wasn’t going to try to break them up by making him guilty.

                “I slept just fine,” she lied. Micaela now took the time to look behind him and saw Wendy waiting impatiently on the sidewalk. Micaela untangled herself from Zayn and smiled shyly up at him. “Go on. Wendy is getting jealous.”

                Zayn laughed. “Jealous? I’ll tell her she had nothing to worry about.”

                Micaela felt all the air rush out of her, but she kept her smile on. “Yeah. Nothing to worry about.”

                Liam decided at that moment to walk up. “Are you okay?” he asked Micaela. “Hey Zayn.”

                “I’m fine,” Micaela said though she knew he could tell something was wrong.

                “Hey, Liam. I’ll come over later, Micaela, I promise.”

                “Okay. Don’t worry if your plans change,” she said as he started down the steps.

                “They won’t,” Zayn assured her as he hopped in the car with Wendy.

                Liam watched her walk into the living room and sink onto the couch. “What’s wrong?”

                “I’m just getting used to the fact that he’s not around a lot. I barely got any sleep last night. He was only here for five minutes and he managed to kill me within them. I knew getting attached to him would only hurt me and I foolishly ignored my premonitions. Want to know what he just told me?” Liam knew it was a rhetorical question so he stayed quiet. “He told me Wendy had nothing to be jealous of. I’m nothing to him. I’m just a silly messed up little girl. That’s what he sees me as, you know; a little girl who needs help. Listen to me. I sound so pathetic.”

                Liam pulled her into his lap. “You’re not pathetic; you’re just in a difficult situation. We’ll just have to change the way he sees you.”

                Micaela looked at him with a surprised expression. “I never knew you were one to meddle. That’s usually Lou or Haz.”

                “Never said they wouldn’t be involved,” Liam mumbled.

                “It won’t work.”

                “What won’t?” Liam asked letting her get off of him.

                “Changing anything. It never works. It always ends up they like the original better, except in Grease, and my life is not a cliché. I have proof, too,” she continued, cutting him off. “Upstairs.”

                Liam understood she was referring to the entire wall of books in her room. She needed another section of shelving seeing as the books were starting to pile up on the floor. “Why are you wearing long sleeves?” He asked changing the subject when he realized it was useless to pursue the issue further. “It’s August.”

                Micaela blinked slowly as she stared at him. “I’m cold.”

                “Bull,” Liam said sitting up straight.

                Micaela rolled her eyes. “It’s not important.”

                “It’s because of Wendy, isn’t it?”

                Before she could answer, Harry burst through the front door. He was all curls and bloodshot green eyes. “Haz, what’s wrong?” Micaela asked.

                “Shelby, she-she…I don’t know what…she…we’re over,” he finished in a choked sob.

                Micaela and Liam abandoned their blossoming discussion to aid their friend. Micaela gave him a rare hug and pulled him to the couch while Liam made some tea. Micaela disregarded her discomfort and held Harry on the couch. She tried to calm him slightly to prevent him from hyperventilating, which he was very close to doing. “Harry, I need you to breathe, hun. Can you do that for me?”

                Harry nodded and, though it took a few minutes, began to breathe properly again. Micaela rubbed slow circles on his back while murmuring things like “Breath Harry” and “It’s going to be okay”. Liam returned with the tea and took Harry away from Micaela. “Drink this, Haz. Deep breaths.”

                Micaela pulled her knees to her chest as she kept an eye on both boys. Harry did drink some tea once he was positive he wouldn’t choke on it. His hands were shaking which caused the tea cup to rattle against the saucer. “I’m sorry guys. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Harry mumbled getting up.

                Liam pulled him back onto the couch. “No, you’re fine. We’re going to talk about this.”

                Harry rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to, _dad_.” Micaela snickered while Liam took a turn rolling his eyes. They’d given him that nickname last summer when they’d gone on a weekend trip and he’d definitely acted like their father. Harry dragged his hands down his face. “Shelby broke up with me today. I don’t really know why. The end.”

                Micaela didn’t like seeing her always-smiling friend sad. It was like macaroni and cheese without the cheese. She knew one way to make him smile for a couple seconds. “Haz, I have something to ask you.”

                Harry turned to her. “Yeah?”

                “What’s the difference between liking, loving, and showing off?”

                Harry’s brow furrowed. “Um…I don’t know.”

                Micaela smiled and felt herself blush. “Sitting, swallowing, and gargling.”

                Harry couldn’t help but chuckled. Liam looked mortified. “Where did you hear that?” he asked.

                Micaela smiled proudly. “The internet is an informative place, Daddy.”

 


	34. Zayn

## Zayn

                “Zayn, could you grab me a Pepsi? They’re in the fridge,” Wendy asked.

                “Sure,” Zayn said hopping off the couch and moving as fast as he could.

                Wendy smiled as she took the cool can from him. “Thanks, Z.” After she had a few sips, she asked, “What are your plans for this afternoon?”

                Zayn shrugged. “I was thinking of checking on Micaela.”

                Wendy frowned. “Oh.”

                Zayn gave her a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”

                With a wave of her hand, Wendy dismissed his worry. “Nothing. You just talk about her a lot and it just makes me wonder if you like her more than me. Did you only ask me out to make her jealous?”

                Zayn stared at her in shock. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I told you that.” He didn’t talk about Micaela that much, did he?

                “Do you promise?” Wendy pouted.

                “I promise. I wouldn’t have asked you out if I liked her.” Wendy got off the couch and went into the kitchen. Zayn twisted so he could see her. She was leaning against the sink as she watched the bag of popcorn popping in the microwave. She looked very pretty and Zayn wanted to draw her. He absentmindedly reached over the side of the couch. Back at Micaela’s there were stashes of pencils and paper in every room. He was reaching for the side table that would have been next to him had he been at Micaela’s.

                “What are you reaching for?” Wendy asked.

                “Nothing,” Zayn mumbled.

 

                His pace picked up as he walked towards the house he felt like he hadn’t been in in years. He noticed Louis’ car parked out front. A bit of panic fluttered in his chest. Maybe Micaela had a panic attack. What if her dad called? Had Liam spent the whole day with her? Why did that thought bother him? Zayn shook his head as he walked up the front steps and through the front door. If anything was wrong, he would know. He doubled over with laughter at the sight before him in the living room. Louis, Liam, Harry, and Niall were twisted into a full-body knot as Micaela giggled wildly from her spot on the couch. The boys were playing Twister, one of Micaela’s favorite games to watch.

                “Zayn!” she yelled. Niall twisted in the game which caused the others to lose their balance. Micaela was off the couch and stopping in front of him in a flash. He’d opened his arms to hug her so they drooped by his sides when she hesitated. “Can I?” she whispered.

                Zayn stared at his best friend like she’d grown a pair of ears from her forehead. “Of course. Why wouldn’t you be able to?”

                Micaela blushed. “Well, I mean…with Wendy and all, I wasn’t–”

                Zayn cut her off by putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes. “We’re best friends; a relationship won’t change us.” Zayn pulled her tightly against him. He felt a bit of guilt for worrying his little friend. He was trying to make life as stress free as possible and this Wendy thing had caused her to, more than likely, lose sleep and fear that she’d lost him. For a moment, Zayn was mad at Wendy, but then he remembered it was his doing. “What have I missed?” he asked as Micaela unwound herself and pulled him into the living room.

                “Shelby and I broke up,” Harry said matter-of-factly.

                “Really? Are you okay?” Zayn asked.

                Harry shrugged. “I will be…if I keep thinking of Micaela’s joke.”

                Zayn looked at the blushing girl before him. He was curious having rarely heard her even try to joke. “What was this joke?”

                Louis, Harry, and Niall took their seats. They like to joke that, regarding Micaela, Liam was Dad and Zayn was Mom. Micaela looked between the two parents. “It wasn’t anything terrible.”

                Liam snorted. “If it’s not terrible then share it with him.”

                Micaela crossed her arms. “I am not a child, Liam.”

                “You really don’t want to tell me,” Zayn teased.

                Micaela huffed and whispered the joke in Zayn’s ear. He chuckled, shocked more than anything that she’d used a joke like that. “Let me guess…you found that on the internet.”

                She nodded smiling proudly.

                “You are no help,” Liam groaned.

                “Oh calm down, Li,” Zayn said pulling Micaela in for a quick hug. “Our baby is all grown up.” Zayn released her and she excused herself to the kitchen. “Are you okay?” he asked Harry.

                “No, but Liam and Micaela took the brunt of it. I will be, but it’ll be a while.”

                “Two years is nothing to sneeze at,” Louis consoled.

                Harry rested his head on his shoulder. “Thanks, Boo-Bear.”

                “Any time, kiddo.”

                Zayn smiled at the two and glanced worriedly at the kitchen. Micaela was talking a long time. What was she doing? He should check on her. On his way to the kitchen he thought about what Wendy had mentioned earlier. He shook those thoughts away; how ridiculous.

 


	35. Micaela

## Micaela

                The sun slipped in the quiet bedroom where the sleeping girl lay in bed. The light roused her, and with a groan she rolled over. Aunt Millie was coming home tomorrow. The whole house needed to be cleaned up. It was a disaster area. She rolled over again, this time colliding with a warm body which caused her to hum with satisfaction.

               

_“Yeah, mom…Okay, okay…I’ll be right over. Love you too.” He hung up the phone and put his arm back around his best friend. “I have to go home tonight.”_

_She grunted. “Take me with you,” she mumbled into his chest. He chuckled, an action that warmed her considerably. If she got a bit of his time every few days, she could handle the separation._

_“Really?”_

_“Really, really.”_

_“Alright. Am I going to have to carry you?”_

_She nodded, locking her arms and legs around him. He stood and took her next door. His parents greeted them and let him take her upstairs to his room where he handed her clothes to change into before he went downstairs to chat._

                The shirt Micaela currently had on was Zayn’s. The body she was currently cuddled into was Zayn’s. Everything felt so perfect. She smiled at the still sleeping boy next to her. It faded, though, as she realized this was probably the last sleepover they’d have. The look Wendy had given her the other day let her know she and Zayn’s friendship was most definitely second to his new relationship. Micaela rolled so she was staring at the ceiling. His parents would probably have a cow if they saw them in the same bed. She giggled to herself as she imagined their faces, which woke up Zayn. She turned her head to face him. His smiled sleepily as she whispered, “Hi.”

                “Hey little girl. Want some breakfast?”

                “Yes, but I don't want to get up just yet,” Micaela said, grabbing Zayn’s wrist as he started to get up. She knew she was acting odd and Zayn would pick up on it, but she wanted to savor their time together.

                Zayn lay back down, pulling her on top of him. “What’s wrong, Mickey Mouse?”

                She laid her head on his chest, her ear pressed next to her head. He was going to be mad at her. He was going to tell her she was being silly. This was embarrassing. She was being ridiculous. Zayn wasn’t going to let it go. “I’m scared Wendy is going to change things between us. I know you said she wouldn’t, but…I just want to know I’m not going to totally lose you. I want to know it for sure.”

                Zayn’s hands paused in their arm rubbing. “Why would Wendy cause you to lose me?”

                His question made her look at him. “Why wouldn’t she? She’s your girlfriend. You have to spend time with her, which means that you’re going to be with her more than me. I’m not trying to sound needy or pathetic or jealous. It’s only right that you spend time with her. I just don’t want to be completely forgotten. This is silly. I’m sorry. Let’s do breakfast.” Micaela pushed off of him, and he let her, following her downstairs where his mother was singing.

                Halfway down the stairs, Zayn caught her hand. Micaela loved the feel of his skin on hers. “Everything is going to be okay,” he said.

                Micaela smiled. “I know. Just promise me you’ll say hello or stop by every couple of days.”

                “I pinky-promise to visit you every day,” he said.

                Micaela hooked their pinkies together.

                “Are you two going to stand there undressing each other with your eyes or are you going to go to breakfast?” Doniya asked as she descended the stairs.

                “Really D?” Zayn sighed.

                Micaela watched her feet as she went into the kitchen while she tried to get her face back to its normal color. Doniya didn’t know how she felt about her brother, or maybe she did and teased them on purpose. Micaela wished she wouldn’t. Every time she did, Micaela blushed and Zayn was smart enough to eventually put two and two together. She didn’t want that–at least not while he was dating Wendy.

                “Zayn don’t forget that your father is hosting that dinner party for work on Friday. All of us are expected to be there,” Mrs. Malik told her son.

                “Can I bring Wendy? I promised I would do something with her this weekend.”

                Mrs. Malik spared Micaela a glance before saying yes to her son. He hopped up from his seat to call his girlfriend. Mrs. Malik set food in front of the kids, but Micaela wasn’t hungry anymore.

                “Eat,” Doniya encouraged. “He will notice that.”

                Micaela obediently began to pick at her food as Zayn returned to his seat next to her. She pretended they were playing their old eating game. He took a bite, and then she did.

                “What did Wendy say?” Mrs. Malik asked as she took a seat across from her son.

                Zayn appeared like he’d been hoping everyone had forgotten he was going to ask his girlfriend to come over. “She apparently has plans with her girlfriends.”

                Mrs. Malik frowned. “Oh, well, that’s okay.” She sent a pointed look towards Micaela.

                Zayn arched an eyebrow as he followed his mother’s gaze to his friend. “Would you like to go?”

                Micaela smiled. “Yes…as long as I’m a satisfactory replacement.”

                “Stop that and eat. You know you’re not just a replacement.”

                “I should go. Aunt Millie shouldn’t come home to a messy house. Thank you for breakfast, Tricia.”

                “No problem, honey,” Mrs. Malik replied.

                Micaela took her dishes to the sink, and, with a dismissive goodbye, returned to her house.

 


	36. Zayn

## Zayn

                “Is she okay?” his mom asked him.

                “No. I’ll be back later,” Zayn said. He got up from the table so he could follow his best friend. He knew she knew he was behind her since she left the front door wide open. “Micaela, stop.” She did pause in the entrance to the kitchen, turning to him with a look he didn’t recognize. “What’s wrong?”

                “Nothing.”

                He knew that was a bold-faced lie. “Don’t lie to me. Is this about Friday? You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

                “I want to. Do you not want me to go?”

                “What? I never said that.”

                “It took a look from your mother to get you to ask me.” She moved into the kitchen leaving him slightly confused. He didn’t think she would want to come to a business dinner; it wasn’t going to be a party or anything fun like that. When he got into the kitchen, Micaela had her back to him as she braced herself against the counter with one hand. Her other hand was rubbing at her chest.

                “Did I hit you in my sleep again?”

                “No. I just feel achy. Might be coming down with something. Will you go grocery shopping with me?”

                Zayn didn’t question the change in subject. She was starting to get irritated and he knew better than to push her when she started to get angry. She’d close in on herself and he’d have to work for weeks to get her to open up again. If something was really wrong, she’d tell him anyway. “Sure. Someone has to protect you from that bag boy.”

                “Alex? He’s harmless.”

                Zayn shook his head as he grabbed the keys to Aunt Millie’s car. “Sure he is.”

                Ten minutes later they were at the store. Micaela pushed the cart as Zayn read off the list. He never thought he’d ever enjoy this, but in a strange way he did. Then again, maybe it was the texts from Wendy that kept his mind off the endless aisle walking. In the soup aisle, they ran into Alex. He was restocking shelves.

                “Hey, Micaela.”

                “Hi, Alex. How are you?”

                “I’m fine. How are you?”

                “I’m well. Thank you.” She began pushing the cart again, effectively ending the conversation. Zayn was grateful she’d kept it short, but knew he’d be the one bagging their groceries.

                “Why don’t you like him?” Micaela asked.

                Zayn shrugged. “I don’t know. Why ask? Do you like him?”

                “He’s nice enough.”

                An idea occurred to him. “Do you _like-like_ him?”

                Micaela pulled up short and faced him with a blush. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

                Zayn followed her to the check-out with an all-knowing grin. She definitely had a crush on the bag boy. He didn’t really approve but they could talk about that later if he ever asked her out. Zayn could now mercilessly tease her. As they checked out and Alex bagged their groceries, Zayn nudged her and made suggestive movements with his eyebrows. Micaela did her best to ignore him even though it was very difficult. His antics were tempered by Alex’s constant chatter gaining more of Micaela’s attention. He shouldn’t be getting as irritated as he was. Alex was definitely not good enough for her. She was too young to date anyway. He was worrying about this too much. Micaela wasn’t one to date; she rarely left her house.

                “Are you coming?” Micaela asked. She already had the cart steered toward the door. Zayn nodded and followed her out to the car. As they were putting the bags in the trunk she asked, “What should I do with Alex’s number?”

                “What?” Zayn almost dropped the eggs he was holding.

                “Alex gave me his number. I’m not sure what to do with it.”

                Zayn’s mind was racing. Alex didn’t actually give her his number did he? Micaela handed him a slip of receipt paper with a number scribbled on it. “Do you want to see him outside the grocery store?” He walked towards the driver’s door after he closed the trunk.

                “Like go on a date with him? I don’t think so,” Micaela replied as she got in the car.

                Zayn nodded as he backed out. “You can if you want to, but if he hurts you, I’ll kill him.”

                Micaela gaped at him, before his phone distracted her. “Wendy texted you,” she mumbled.

 


	37. Micaela and Niall

## Micaela and Niall

                Her arms shook as she tried to hold herself up. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth once more before giving up and panting. Niall shifted behind her. He licked his lips as he stretched his hand over hers. She whimpered quietly. “I know, hun, I know.” Niall panted in her ear, the strain of the current position getting to both of them. “Ready?” he murmured. She nodded, ready now more than ever. He flicked his wrist. “Left hand read,” Niall announced.

                Micaela stuck her tongue out as she dragged her hand from the green dot it was on to the red circle by her right hand.

                “If you two are done in there, I made lunch,” Aunt Millie said from the kitchen.

                Niall’s head snapped up at the mention of food. “What is it?” he asked.

                Aunt Millie raised her eyebrow. “Does it really matter?”

                Niall thought about it for a moment, shook his head, and quickly moved from the living room to the kitchen. Micaela collapsed with a triumphant smile on the Twister mat. “I win! I win!”

                “I want a rematch! You cheated!” Niall declared from the kitchen.

                “How?” Micaela demanded. She scrambled off the floor and into the kitchen. She took the plate Aunt Millie handed her. “You’re the one who ran away.”

                “Your aunt tempted me!” Niall pouted.

                “You should have had more will power,” Aunt Millie teased.

                “So where did you go with Mark?” Micaela asked Aunt Millie.

                Aunt Millie fluffed her cotton candy pink hair. “The Caribbean, but it wasn’t any fun.”

                “Why?”

                Aunt Millie sighed dramatically. “We fought. He was totally flirting with the lifeguard and the guy wasn’t even that cute.”

                Niall choked on his food prompting Micaela to gingerly pat him on the back as he recovered. “That’s not awkward,” he muttered.

                “I know, right?” Aunt Millie said clapping her hands together. “I told him it’s cool and all, but could he please wait for our vacation to end?”

                Micaela chuckled. “You’re so weird.”

                “But you simply adore me, don’t you love?” Aunt Millie gushed batting her eyelashes.

                “I do. It’s so unfortunate,” Micaela teased.

                “So what are you wearing tonight?” Aunt Mille asked.

                “What’s tonight?” Niall inquired.

                Micaela didn’t look at Niall as she told him about the dinner at Zayn’s tonight. He frowned and nodded. She and her aunt began discussing what she would wear. He kept quiet, choosing to focus on the sandwiches Aunt Millie had made rather than the conversation.

                “Maybe you could get Niall’s opinion?” Aunt Millie said drawing the Irish boy into the conversation.

                “On what?” he asked around a mouthful of food.

                “My dress and no, I will not be asking him for advice. That’s more of Louis’ and Harry’s expertise.”

                “You’re dressing up?”

                “Yes, Niall, for the dinner party tonight. I’m certainly not going to go in sweats and a t-shirt. Mr. Malik’s boss would love that. I just shouldn’t go.”

                “You should. Maybe it’ll—”

                “Don’t say it. It’ won’t,” Micaela snapped. “I’ll show you the darn dress,” she grumbled pushing her half empty plate away.

                Niall followed her upstairs to her bedroom. He sat on the bed while she went into the closet. “Aw, damn,” he sighed.

                “What?” she asked from inside the closet.

                “I got sauce on my pants.”

                “Look in the bottom drawer of my dresser. There should be some of Zayn’s clothes that will fit you and then I can wash yours. Alright what do you think?” Micaela emerged in a tight purple dress. Niall’s eyes widened at the sight. She looked amazing. Micaela bit her lip and looked down at her shuffling feet. “Say something, please.”

                “It-you look-” Niall stuttered trying to get over the shock.

                Micaela disappeared into the closet thoroughly embarrassed. She must have looked worse than she thought. She tugged on her hair and chewed on her lip. This was impossible. Maybe she wouldn’t even go. Micaela twisted her arm behind her back and began to yank on the zipper, but it wouldn’t go down. She began to panic. She was going to be stuck in this terrible dress for the rest of her life. Everyone was going to laugh at her. Why wouldn’t the zipper go down?

                “Calm down, sweets. Let me help you,” Niall said softly like he was talking to a scared animal.

                As his fingers pressed into her back to pull the zipper down she squeaked, “Did I look that bad in it?”

                “What?” Niall asked. “Why do you think you look bad?”

                Micaela tugged on her hair. “You didn’t say otherwise.”

                “I’ve never seen you dressed up. I was shocked is all. You looked breath taking,” he said.

                Micaela’s hands loosened their grip on her hair. “Really?”

                Niall chuckled. “Really.” Micaela sighed, her hands mimicking the zipper of her dress as it slid open. “So you have a drawer with Zayn’s clothes in it?”

                Micaela blushed. “Not just his clothes, well, most of his clothes…he’ll leave some here sometimes and I wash them and put them in the bottom drawer.”

                Micaela turned to him, holding her dress against her chest. “No. Now get out of my closet.”

 


	38. Zayn and the Dinner Party

## Zayn and the Dinner Party

                “How do I look?” Zayn asked as he turned from his mirror to his sister sitting on his bed.

                “Wonderful,” Waliyha said flipping a page in her magazine.”

                “You didn’t even look at me,” Zayn whined.

                Waliyha looked up with a heavy sigh. “You look dashing. Just like the other six times you’ve asked me. If Micaela isn’t begging on her knees for you to rip her dress off and—”

Zayn flung a discarded pillow at his sister. “When did you get such a dirty mouth?”

“When I started school.”

“How disappointing.”

Safaa barreled through the door, “Are you ready yet?” Zayn checked his hair again in the mirror before answering his little sister with a nod. Safaa darted across the hall and then back to his room. “So is Micaela. And mom told me we all need to go down anyway.” Safaa and Waliyha bounced out. Zayn pulled on the sleeves of his jacket before going out of his room. It was like a scene out of a movie. They both opened their respective doors at the same time. Their eyes slowly rose from the floor to look each other over. His eyes widened. He hadn’t ever seen her dressed up, and in that dress she was stunning. They walked towards each other, Zayn staring at his…little friend. She wasn’t exactly little anymore was she? Micaela had definitely grown up under the loose pants and two-sizes-too-big t-shirts. Where had these curves come from? How had he—Zayn Malik, best friend extraordinaire—not noticed these developments?

“Hi,” she whispered tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

                “Hi. You look beautiful,” Zayn murmured.

                “You don’t look half bad yourself,” she returned.

                He turned slightly, offering her his arm. “Shall we?”

                Micaela nodded and linked her arm with his. He helped her down the stairs noticing she was a bit wobbly on her heels. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Zayn felt a few pairs of eyes turn to them. “If you get too uncomfortable, we can escape upstairs or next door.”

                “Zayn! How are you?” a colleague of his father’s boomed.

                Zayn put his free hand over her hand on his arm. “I’m good. How are you, Mr. Hanover?”

                “I’m good. Is this the girlfriend we’ve heard about?”

                Zayn felt Micaela’s grip on his arm tighten. Zayn patted Micaela’s hand as she looked at her feet. He blushed slightly. “My dad talks too much. No, this is my friend, Micaela. She lives next door.”

                Mr. Hanover’s brows furrowed a moment before he recovered and shook Micaela’s hand. “A pleasure,” he murmured. Micaela smiled and nodded. “Doesn’t say much, does she?” Mr. Hanover joked with a hearty laugh.

                Zayn pulled Micaela away to the kitchen to avoid further Hanover embarrassment. “You okay, love?”

                “I’m fine.”

                Zayn’s parents swooped in before the two could talk further. Zayn’s father whisked him away to talk to a few others and Doniya filled his spot next to Micaela. As his father talked, Zayn itched at his elbow trying to get the strange sensation left by Micaela’s hand off his body. Maybe her nerves had come out in a stronger grip than she imagined.

 


	39. Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

## Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

                His lips left hers after salt started slipping in. “Are you crying, princess?” he whispered.

                “No.” But the subsequent sniffle and quick swipe of the hand negated her answer.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “Nothing.”

                “I’m going to miss you too, love, but I’m not leaving forever.”

                “I know,” she sighed. “I’m just being silly.”

                She shifted beneath him, her hands reaching up to smooth out the wrinkles she’d caused in his shirt. She raised her head off the pillows to peck him on the lips. He knew she was looking for distraction, so was he, but if this was going to happen, perhaps his plan would need to change. She pulled his shirt over his head thus cutting off all rational thought. Her hands pressed against his chest, scratching lightly. He hissed at the feeling before he pulled her shirt off. In the moonlight sneaking around her curtains he could see an earlier bruise fading away. His mouth descended to refresh it. A moan leapt from her throat at the contact. Her fingers curled in the dark hair that tickled her ear. Her next moan was accompanied by a giggle. This had him pulling away from the now dark mark and looked at her slightly puzzled. “What are you laughing at?”

                “Your hair was tickling me,” she told him sheepishly

                He shook his head with a smile. He dipped his neck slightly so his hair barely touched her skin and produced more delighted giggles. She pushed his head away, managing to end up on top of him. His hands rested gently on her hips which allowed him to study her, memorize every last thing before he left. She was doing the same thing. She absently began tracing the yin-yang tattoo on his wrist.

                “I still say it hurt more than you let on,” she mumbled.

                “It wasn’t as bad as it looked.”

                She hummed as her hand left the tattoo on his wrist and traveled up his arm. She smiled as the muscle clenched under her touch. Her fingers moved over the planes of his chest and the solid torso between her legs. She circled his belly button enjoying the breathy laugh she got out of him. He sat up suddenly, wrapping his capable arms around her. He flopped back with her trapped against him. “Now you’re going to get it,” he warned.

 


	40. Micaela and the Boys

## Micaela and the Boys

                “Yes, Lou, baby, right there! Harder, Lou. Please, God! Yes! Faster! Harder! C’mon, baby…yes! Yes! Yes!”

                “Time!” Liam announced.

                The five of them burst into laughter as the final sounds of Harry’s pretend orgasm with Louis rang in their ears. Micaela and Harry were crying they were battling such strong laughter.

                “What have I missed?”

                Micaela sobered up almost immediately at the voice. Zayn came over from the front door and plopped down next to her. She gave him a quick hug before motioning to the others. “Harry just had his world rocked by Louis.”

                “Oh really?”

                Micaela nodded. Zayn shook his head. His best friend had discovered Dirty Truth or Dare a month ago, and after begging profusely to play, they finally caved. Needless to say, it became one of their favorite pastimes. “Can I get you something to drink?” she asked.

                Zayn gave her a look she’d grown accustomed to over the past couple of months. It was one marked mainly by confusion. He’d long become more than a guest at his neighbor’s house, but lately Micaela had been slightly off, and offering him something to drink was acting like he didn’t basically live here. But no matter how strange she was acting, he let her be and respected the slight space she’d created between them. Micaela hopped up and disappeared into the kitchen.

                “How was your date?” Harry asked Zayn.

                The black haired boy shrugged. “Fine. She spent most of the time complaining about this girl in her class. I swear she could dislike someone because they had a freckle on the back of their ear.”

                Micaela returned with a Coke for Zayn. She handed him the cold can before she plopped down between Louis and Liam across from Zayn. Liam glanced at her, and when she gave him a look asking what he was looking at, he decided not to comment on the fact that she was next to him and not Zayn. It was so common now that Zayn was better at hiding his hurt and the others kept het awkward tension to themselves. “Who’s next?” she asked.

                “Zayn since he was late,” Harry said.

                “Truth or dare, Z?” Louis asked.

                “Dare,” Zayn replied quickly.

                “With your eyes closed, have your hand guided over the body of whoever the group chooses,” Louis read.

                The other four—Niall had returned to Ireland yesterday—huddled in a group whispering quickly and pointing wildly. Micaela was rolling her eyes and shaking her head. It would definitely be too weird if he had to touch her. The group returned to the circle all sporting wicked grins.

                “Close your eyes, buddy,” Louis instructed. Zayn followed his friend’s instruction. “Now crawl towards the alluring sound of my voice.” Louis’ instruction gained some snickers from the others. As Zayn crawled forward, Louis scooted backwards, but kept talking as Liam took his place. Harry moved next to Liam, and, when Zayn was close enough, took his friend’s hand to guide it over Liam’s body.

                “Mhmm…” Liam sighed as Harry moved Zayn’s hand down Liam’s neck and over his shoulder. Liam’s hips lifted as Zayn’s hands moved lower, over the waistband of his jeans, over the front of his pants, down his legs, and finally over his left foot. As Zayn’s hand left, Liam sighed with a smile. Zayn opened his eyes with a smirk. Liam started laughing first.

 


	41. Zayn and Liam

## Zayn and Liam

                Zayn dropped into his seat in math with an exhausted sigh. School started much too early for his liking, especially after a particularly restless night. Liam joined him shortly afterwards beginning to say good morning, but stopping after Zayn gave him an irritated look. “What happened to you mate?” Liam asked. “Trouble in paradise?”

                “Basically. Wendy threw a fit last night.”

                “Didn’t she have one like two days ago?”

                “Yeah. Over the same damn thing. I wish she’d realize that if I wanted to date Micaela I would have already. Obviously I want to be with her. You’d think after four months she’d realize that.” Liam grunted. “And then she got mad at me for hanging with you guys last night. I don’t get mad when she goes out with her friends. It’s not wrong to expect the same is it?” Liam shook his head. “That’s what I said and I thought she was going to explode. She stopped talking and her face got bright red. Singlehandedly the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen.”

                “What about that time Micaela wanted to paint our faces and your clown looked more like the devil than a circus character?”

                Zayn chuckled. “That was more amusing than scary. Wendy could cause nightmares. I don’t know what to do to make her happy anymore.” Zayn grew quiet at that thought. Another one occurred to him. “Has Micaela been acting strange at all?”

                Liam wasn’t sure what Zayn exactly meant. He knew Micaela had started acting differently to and around Zayn. She’d confided in Liam that she was going to make the pain go away by getting rid of the cause. If she didn’t care about Zayn then he couldn’t hurt her. Liam couldn’t dissuade her, but he was pretty sure her plan was back firing on all cylinders. “No. She’s been pretty much the same with me at least.”

                Zayn nodded. “She didn’t sit next to me last night during truth or dare.”

                “Maybe she’s grown 100 percent comfortable with everyone now. Our baby is growing up,” Liam cooed trying to get Zayn to smile.

                “Has she told you about the bag boy?” Zayn asked ignoring Liam’s joking attempts.

                Liam sighed. “She mentioned him like one time.”

                Before Zayn could reply, the teacher called for everyone’s attention, though the students lost focus almost immediately when the teach put a video in since her throat hurt.

                “He bothers me,” Zayn muttered.

                “Who? Bag boy?”

                Zayn nodded. “He gave her his number.”

                “Micaela’s not going to call him,” Liam said.

                “Why not? Doesn’t she like him?”

                “Have you ever known her to leave the house without one of us or Aunt Millie?”

                “She went shopping with my sisters.”

                Liam rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot who’s jealous of someone interested in his _best friend_.”

                Zayn opened and closed his mouth, gaping like a fish out of water. He wasn’t jealous. He was protective and the bag boy was in no way fit for dating his best friend. “You’re an ass,” Zayn shot back only half serious.

                “Mr. Payne? Mr. Malik? Are you paying attention?” the teacher asked.

                Both boys nodded, falling quiet for the time being.

 

                “I think Harry is taking both of those girls home today,” Liam muttered as he watched Harry across the cafeteria chatting with two equal dumb blondes. “We really should talk to him.”

                Zayn looked where Liam was looking and shrugged. “You don’t know for sure that he’s sleeping with every girl he talks to.”

                “He didn’t use to act like this though. He was always too much of a romantic.”

                Zayn swallowed a bite of his sandwich before answering. “And what did being a romantic get him? A broken heart. He’s working things out. He’s a big boy.”

                Liam frowned, his disappointment evident, but he knew Zayn was right.

                “How’s Sophia?” Zayn asked, rewarded with a blush from Liam.

                “She’s good.”

                “When are you going to ask her out?”

                “Who said I was even thinking about that?” Liam admitted fidgeting in his seat slightly.

                Zayn rolled his eyes. “Just do it. It’s better once you ask her out.”

                Liam shrugged. “Maybe.”

                “Hey, guys,” Shelby chirped as she passed their table. The two of them looked at each other and ignored her. Why did she operate under the delusion that they were still friends? It wasn’t like they’d been friends before the break up.

                “She’s so weird,” Zayn mumbled.

                “I’ll say,” Liam returned.

 


	42. Harry

## Harry

                He pulled into the driveway that had taken forever to arrive at. He unceremoniously unlocked the doors and waited for the girl sitting next to him to get out. The car wasn’t even in park.

                “Aren’t you going to stay?” she asked.

                Harry didn’t look at her as he replied, “No.”

                “Why not sugar?” she asked in what was supposed to be a seductive tone accompanied by an enticing touch, but everything she said and did bothered him.

                “I don’t want to.”

                “My parents aren’t home. That’s my brother’s car, but he’s actually out of town.”

                “I don’t want to come in, Olive. Get out.”

                She sucked in a sharp breath and made a scene of pushing herself out of the car and shouting, “Don’t you even think about calling me or even talking to me again!”

                “Wasn’t planning on it,” Harry muttered to himself as he backed out of her driveway. On the road again, Harry headed straight to his best friend’s house. He parked out front and practically ran to the front door.

                “Hi, Harry. What a lovely surprise.”

                “Hey, Mrs. Tomlinson. Is Louis home yet?”

                “No, but he should be on his way. Are you okay, sweetie?”

                “I’m fine,” Harry assured her. “I’m just going to wait in his room if that’s okay?”

                “Of course. You go right on up.”

                Mrs. Tomlinson stepped aside and let Harry climb the stairs to Louis’ room. He closed the door softly behind him, flopping on his friend’s unmade bed with a tired sigh. He really hated himself. Olive was probably not as irritating as she seemed to him, but she bothered him nonetheless. Maybe that’s what he’d done to Shelby. If so, then he fully understood why she broke up with him. Why date someone who annoyed you nonstop?

                “You look like shit.”

                Harry tilted his head towards Louis’ voice. “I don’t feel much better.”

                Louis sat next to his friend and rubbed his back. “Why’s that?”

                “I hate myself. I’m annoying as hell.”

                “Who told you that?”

                “Shelby,” Harry muttered miserably.

                “She did?”

                Harry wiggled away, instantly irritated. “Don’t use that tone with me.”

                “What tone?”

                “That one. Shelby didn’t have to say those exact words to me to tell me that I’m a bother.”

                Louis decided to change subjects. Harry was going through a rough time and his friend’s attitude was going to force the conversation in a depressing, unending circle. “You and Olive seem happy.”

                Harry snorted. “We’re not together.”

                “What did you do?” Louis groaned.

                “Why does it have to be my fault?”

                “When was the last time a girl broke it off with you?”

                “You sound exactly like Liam! I don’t want you to lecture me. I want you to make me feel better.”

                Louis rolled his eyes. “Do you want to play soccer?”

                “Sounds lovely,” Harry said with a relieved smile.

                They stood, and before going downstairs, Louis gave Harry a big hug. “Everything is going to be okay. And for the record, I don’t find you annoying.”

                Harry smiled at his best friend’s back as the two boys went downstairs. “We’re going to the park mum!” Louis shouted.

                “Take your sisters with you!”

                “Ma!” Louis whined. “This isn’t the best time.”

                “It’s fine, Lou,” Harry murmured. “The more the merrier and I need merrier.”

                Louis rolled his eyes. “That was lame. Fine, they can come along.”

                “That wasn’t a question anyway,” Louis’ mom teased. “Those girls need to get out of the house anyway.”

                The four girls emerged from behind their mother with sheepish smiles on their faces. Louis muttered, “You’re lucky I love you all,” to them when his mother returned to the kitchen. The six of them headed down the street, Louis spinning the football between his hands as he walked.

                “What’s wrong, Haz?” Felicite asked as she fell in step with the curly haired boy.

                “Nothing really. I just had a bad day is all,” Harry said giving her a supposedly reassuring smile.

                “That’s not what it sounded like when you were in Louis’ room.”

                “Were you eavesdropping, Fizzy?”

                She blushed and looked down at her feet. “The twins started it, and I just happened to hear some things as I tried to get them to move on. They’re in love with you, ya know.”

                “Are they now?” Harry mused. “That’s too bad.”

                Felicite scrunched her nose at that. “Why? It’s adorable.”

                “Well I can’t date them both—that would be a bit strange—so I’ll have to reject them. It’ll be terrible to break their hearts; I’ll feel so guilty. Besides, I have a thing for brunettes.”

                He smiled at the blush he got out of Louis’ brown-haired sister. “It would only be a bit strange if you dated the twins?” she teased.

                “Oi! You’re not to touch my sisters!” Louis shouted, turning to face Harry.

                Harry put his arms up in surrender. “You make the rules, boo.”

 


	43. Micaela

## Micaela

                She dipped the rag in the warm soapy water so she could scrub the bathroom floor. Music from downstairs filled the entire house and she sang along as well as she could. Having one of her more domestic days, she’d already cleaned and vacuumed her room. After she was done with the upstairs bathroom she was going to dust and tidy up the living room before tackling the kitchen. Her stomach growled as she sat back on her heels to wipe her brow and take a quick break. Lunch seemed to be in order before she cleaned the kitchen. She dumped the dirty water in the sink, placed the rag on the washing machine, and put the bucket back in the hall closet before going downstairs. With a quick glance she made a mental list of what needed to be done in the living room before going into the kitchen to see what she could make for lunch. She smiled wide when she saw a tub of leftover macaroni and cheese just waiting to be eaten. She was a long time believer that cold macaroni was better than a fresh batch.

                The speakers started playing her favorite song with a strong bass that inspired her hips to start swaying. She closed her eyes and hummed around her fork as she danced.

                _What are you doing?_

“I’m dancing, silly. What does it look like?”

                _Do I get any of your lunch?_

She shook her head with a mischievous grin. “Nope.”

                _He chuckled. “Not even a tiny bite?”_

She giggled as she sashayed around the island.

                “What’s so funny?

                Micaela screamed, dropping her fork as she spun around to face her aunt. “Aunt Millie! What are you doing home? I thought you weren’t supposed to come home for another two weeks.”

                “There’s only so much one finds interesting in California when you’ve been there four times before. Who were you talking to? Is Zayn hiding from me?”

                “No. No one’s here. I was talking to myself.”

                Aunt Millie frowned. “They say that’s a sign of insanity.”

                Micaela smiled ruefully. “Never said I was sane.”

                “This is true. How have you been since I’ve been gone?”  Aunt Millie asked wrapping her niece in a tight hug.

                “Okay.”

                “How’s Zayn?”

                “Usually upset.”

                “Why? He’s still with Niall’s whore cousin?” Aunt Millie asked with a bitter twist to her words.

                “Yes, she’s not a whore, and her name is Wendy, not ‘Niall’s cousin’.”

                Aunt Millie shrugged. “Why bother knowing a name if she’s not going to be around long.”

                “It’s been–” Micaela’s sentence was cut short by a slamming door. The two ladies turned towards the sound both pretty sure they weren’t in any danger. Micaela moved slowly through the kitchen door to the living room where she could see Zayn pacing in the foyer.

                “Can I take a shower?” he demanded.

                “Of course,” she murmured.

                Up the stairs he stomped as Aunt Millie came to stand next to her. “What crawled up his butt and died?”

                “Wendy,” Micaela grumbled.

                “I’ve never heard him use that tone with you before.”

                “They’ve been fighting again,” Micaela said even though it didn’t correlate with her aunt’s observation. She slowly headed upstairs and posted herself outside the bathroom door. She knew Zayn didn’t mean to snap at her. He was just stressed out. He’d come out of the shower and apologize. She shook her head to clear out the inner dialogue that sounded too much like how she once thought about her father. He’d stopped apologizing eventually. Micaela chose to stop listening to her head since it was going in a direction she didn’t want to follow and instead listened to Zayn singing. He always sang in the shower, but when he was in any other setting, it was hard to get him to. If Micaela begged just long enough, he would sing and those times were always so wonderful. He was a brilliant singer; she wished he’d fully accept that. Today he was singing a song from a long time ago, an old Billy Joel tune she’d told him she’d loved. It made her smile to know he still remembered it. Micaela rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes to sing along.

                “Goodnight my angel now it’s time to dream, and dream how wonderful your life will be…Someday we’ll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on…They never die…That’s how you and I will be…”

                The shower turned off and Micaela opened her eyes. Zayn took a few minutes drying off before he stepped into the hallway with his towel around his waist. Micaela didn’t mean to, but she shamelessly stared. It was practically impossible not to.

                “Pictures last longer, love.”

                “And I already have several,” she mumbled looking away with a blush. If that didn’t tip him off to her feelings for him she didn’t know what would.

                Zayn moved down the hall and into her bedroom while she remained sitting in the hallway trying to compose herself. She was trying to get rid of these feelings so that she could again feel truly happy. Zayn made that difficult when he comes out of the bathroom in only a towel, but he didn’t want her. He’d been with Wendy a rocky four months and seemed to want to continue being with her. Micaela knocked her head against the wall, wincing slightly when she bumped it a little too hard.

                “You’ll lose brain cells if you do that,” Zayn warned as he took a seat next to her.

                Micaela shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

                “I don’t want a dumb best friend,” he teased.

                “You’ve already got one,” she murmured.

                “I’m sorry for being so short with you earlier. And don’t say it’s okay,” he said when Micaela opened her mouth to say just that. “I shouldn’t let my anger affect how I talk to you.”

                “What are you angry about?”

                “Same thing I always am, well, not exactly. We were going to see a movie this afternoon and so I show up wearing what I had on earlier and she asks me if I was actually going to wear what I had on out with her. There was nothing wrong with what I had on. I told her as much and we got into a fight.” Zayn sighed. “Niall warned me about this. He told me she could be very controlling, but I thought it wouldn’t be as bad as this. Liam’s right; I am an idiot.”

                Micaela scrunched up her nose at that. “You’re not an idiot. You can’t help who you like.”

                Zayn put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “That’s the deepest thing I’ve gotten out of you in a while.”

                The doorbell rang at that moment. Micaela crawled to the top of the stairs and could see Wendy through the window at the top of the door. Her heart sank pulling her smile down to a frown. “Wendy’s here.”

                Zayn grimaced. “I don’t want to talk to her Tell her I'm not here.”

                “How do I explain your car then?”

                “We’ve neighbors aren’t we?”

                “Don’t be a coward,” Micaela admonished.

                Zayn sighed, “Why do you always have to be right?” before getting up. “Be right back, Mickey Mouse.” He jogged down the stairs and stepped onto the front porch. He and Wendy disappeared when Aunt Millie stood at the bottom of the stairs.

                “Want some ice cream kiddo?”

 


	44. Louis

## Louis

                “Pass it! Pass it! I’m open!” Micaela shouted as Louis dribbled the football between his feet. Harry tried to steal it from him, but Louis passed it to Micaela just in time. With her tongue stuck out in concentration, Micaela took the ball down her backyard and kicked it towards the goal. It flew up, almost hitting goalie Liam in the head, but he caught it with a proud grin. Micaela frowned at him.

                “Your turn to be goalie, princess,” Liam chuckled.

                Micaela groaned. She wasn’t a good goalie at all. The boys usually had to gently tap it in so she could get out of the goal. She trudged to her post and waited, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Liam passed the ball to Louis who grinned as he took the ball towards the goal.

                “Wait! Wait! I get a helper!” Micaela said.

                “You do don’t you. Who do you choose?”

                “Louis,” Micaela said smugly.

                Her oldest friend frowned as he kicked the ball to Harry. He liked making Micaela jump for shots he knew she couldn’t block and making her run from side to side as she tried to guess where he was going to kick the ball. He didn’t mind being her helper either. Stealing the ball from his friends was fun. He turned his back to the goal to face Harry ad Liam when he saw the back door open and allow Zayn through.

                “Hey Zayn! Hey Wendy!” Micaela called not taking her eye off the ball.

                The other three looked to the door and saw that Wendy was indeed following Zayn. “This isn’t weird,” Louis mumbled. He glanced back at Micaela, but she was solely focused on the ball.

                “What are we playing?” Wendy asked.

                “Soccer,” Harry answered shortly.

                “A version of soccer,” Liam corrected.

                “There are different versions of soccer?” Wendy asked.

                Louis winced at her voice. It was high pitched and obviously fake. Zayn couldn’t honestly find that sound pleasant to listen to.

                Liam explained, “There’s a goalie and they have a helper. The rest of the players try to score. If the goalie blocks your kick you become the goalie. Do you want to play?”

                “I’m not really wearing the right shoes for this,” Wendy murmured.

                Louis glanced down at the sparkly ballet flats she was wearing. “You can play in those; just don’t kick with your toes. Why don’t you start off as goalie?” he said.

                “I don’t know,” Wendy sighed.

                “Please, Wendy? You’ve been dating my best friend for a while now, but I feel like I hardly know you,” Micaela said.

                Everyone, except Wendy, gave her a shocked look. Wendy was sporting a cold, fake grin. “Alright,” the blonde sighed. “I’ll just be goalie. You said I get a helper?” Her question was directed at Liam who nodded. “Do I get to choose who?” Another nod. “Alright, I choose Zayn.”

                Micaela stepped out of the goal and walked with Louis to where Liam and Harry standing near the house.

                “Why is she here?” Harry asked.              

                “I invited her,” Micaela said. Everyone, again, gave her a look like she’d grown a third arm out of her chest. “What I said was true. I don’t know her, and I thought if she spent some time with us she’d be less likely to fight with Zayn about him spending time over here. Just treat her like you treat me.”

                “But we don’t like her,” Louis pointed out.

                “He’s not leaving her anytime soon. We could at least try to put some truth behind the lies we tell him.”

                “So you’re a masochist?”

                Micaela shook her head, “No. I’m logical. If I pretend to like Wendy, Wendy will feel better about us and might want to spend more time with us. Zayn will want to spend time with her, and if she’s with us, then that’s more time we get with Zayn. Everybody wins.”

                “You losers going to play or what?” Zayn called as he kicked the ball towards the group by the house.  
                Louis easily caught it and shifted his weight eagerly between his feet. “Watch this,” he said so only the group by the house could hear him. He took the ball down the yard, easily dodged Zayn, and kicked the ball straight to Wendy. H expected her to squeal and duck out of the way, but instead she caught it hard against her stomach. She was obviously in pain, but she slowly straightened up with a pained smile.

                “I think this makes you goalie, Louis,” she wheezed.

                Louis knew that she knew he’d done that on purpose, but he just returned her fake smile with one just as false. He turned to face the others. Zayn was obviously disappointed with him, but the others were dying as they tried to hold back their laughter. Micaela may want to play nice, but that didn’t mean he had to.


	45. Liam, Micaela, and the Revelation

## Liam, Micaela, and the Revelation

                “You kids come in! It’s going to storm!” Aunt Millie called from the back door just as a peal of thunder rolled across the sky.

                Micaela was the last of the six of them to get in, and as she closed the door, rain started pouring from the sky. “Perfect timing,” she murmured.

                “I’m always right,” Aunt Millie trilled. “Let’s do a movie afternoon. You guys get settled in the living room and I’ll get the popcorn.”

                Louis, Liam, Harry, and Micaela squeezed onto the couch. Zayn took a seat on the adjacent arm chair while Wendy remained standing not immediately seeing where she was meant to be sitting.

                “Sit on my lap, babe,” Zayn said.

                Micaela watched her best friend’s girlfriend awkwardly lower herself onto Zayn’s laugh. Why did it look so painful? That had once been Micaela’s favorite spot. She hadn’t sat there in four months. Zayn had lied when he said nothing would change between them, but she’d known Wendy would change things, so she wasn’t mad. It would also be hypocritical since she was changing things on purpose. She just wished she was in Zayn’s lap, but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. They hadn’t had a fight all week, which was a record for them. Micaela sighed as she ran her finger around the paint splattered on the pair of Zayn’s sweatpants. She should probably stop wearing his clothes if she was trying to get over these feelings she was experiencing.

                “What movie are we watching?” Aunt Millie asked as she took a seat on the floor in front of Louis.

                “Harry Potter,” Micaela murmured.

                “Which one?”

                “Order of the Phoenix.”

                “Makes this the…?”

                “Third time this month,” Harry supplied.

                “How can you watch something so often?” Wendy inquired.

                “It’s good,” Micaela mumbled. Was it strange to watch something often if she liked it? Maybe no one else would tell her. “But we can watch something else. Why don’t you pick something, Wendy?” Micaela motioned to the left of the television where the DVD shelf sat. Wendy moved slowly as if she was nervous Micaela was playing a joke on her. She ended up picking one of Aunt Millie’s favorites: _Mean Girls_. Micaela didn’t hate this movie, but she usually needed a bribe to watch it. Wendy was bribe enough today; keep her happy so Zayn will be happy. Only a few minutes in, Aunt Millie got up to check something in the kitchen. The phone rang and she answered quickly. Micaela was only slightly curious as to who was on the other end, but Aunt Millie was off the line quickly. “Boys, would you mind helping me get Christmas decorations out? Those boxes are so heavy,” Aunt Millie asked.

                “It’s only October,” Micaela said.

                “I know, but they get so busy. They’re all here now and I don’t know if I’ll be home when it’s time to decorate, so if the boxes are out, you’ll be able to do it by yourself.”

                “Okay…” Micaela sighed.

                They boys were more than happy to get away from the chick flick, which left Micaela and Wendy alone in the living room. Wendy sat down next to her and asked, “Are those Zayn’s pants?”

                Micaela stared at her. “Yes. They are.”

                “Why are you wearing them?”

                “I-well-it’s–”

                “I don’t want you to wear his clothes. It’s just a bit weird, you know, since I’m his girlfriend. If anyone should also be wearing his clothes, it’s me.”

                “Okay,” Micaela whispered past the burning lump in her throat.

                “Can you go change? It’s making me uncomfortable.”

                Micaela jumped from the couch. She didn’t want to bother Wendy, but she didn’t want to change. Please Wendy to please Zayn; that was the goal of today. She reached the top of the stairs, briefly making eye contact with Liam before disappearing into her room. Zayn could tell something was wrong, but Liam stopped him from going into Micaela’s room. “Let’s finish with the boxes.”

                Zayn shrugged him off. “You can. I need to–”

                “Leave her alone.”

                “No!” Zayn barked. At the look on Liam’s face, Zayn asked. “Why should I?”

                “Liam, just tell him. He’s obviously too dense,” Louis said.

                “She likes you, Zayn. She likes you a lot. That’s why she’ll never go out with anyone. That’s why she’s been distancing herself. Let me talk to her.” Liam stepped around Zayn’s shocked figure and knocked softly on Micaela’s bedroom door before going inside.

                Harry and Louis were looking back at Zayn, waiting for his reaction.

                “What are you going to do?” Harry asked.

                “I need some air,” Zayn said.

                “Perhaps we came on a bit too strong for him,” Louis murmured as he passed a box to Harry.

                Harry chuckled. “Perhaps, but there really was no other way.”

                “Do you think he’ll do something about it?” Aunt Millie asked. The two boys looked up at her and shrugged.

 


	46. Micaela and the Scars

## Micaela and the Scars

                Micaela closed the door behind her, biting her lip to keep quiet. Wendy’s request wasn’t terrible; she was surprised she hadn’t thought of it sooner. But the action was more painful than she thought it would be. It was so final, so terminating. It was like choosing between life and death. If she wore his clothes, she could feel like he was always with her, but it would be detrimental to him, though technically Wendy wouldn’t know. Zayn had no intention of leaving her. At that thought the sweatpants began to itch. She couldn’t get them off fast enough as she stumbled forward. A slight cry of pain left her as she tripped and fell awkwardly on her side with Zayn’s pants around her ankles. She kicked them off as the first of what were surely many tears. If Zayn came in right not it was quite possible she’d beg him to stop dating Wendy. She tore her eyes away from the gray material by her feet only to stare at the white circles dotting her knees…

                _“Would you get me a beer already?” he grumbled._

_“You said I could wait till the commercial,” she said quietly._

_“Get me a damn beer,” he growled._

_“Please can I wait for the commercial?”_

_His arm shot out and pressed against her chest to keep her down. The cigarette that was in his mouth was now burning into the skin just above her knee. She wiggled against his hold. “Alright! I’ll get you one!” He lifted the cigarette off her leg and pushed her off the couch. She stumbled into the kitchen, pulled a beer out of the fridge, and placed the open bottle in her dad’s hand. She returned to the kitchen, putting some ice in a washcloth before scurrying upstairs this was the last time she wore shorts around the house while he was home…_

Micaela was brought out of her memories by a soft knock and the soft click of the door opening. “Princess?”

                Micaela rolled over to face Liam. “She told me I couldn’t wear his clothes anymore.”

                Liam sat next to her. She crawled into his lap. “You don’t have to do what she says.”

                “But I do. If I want to get over him, I shouldn’t wear his clothes.” She nuzzled Liam’s neck, trying to calm down. “I don’t like her at all. I mean, who actually likes _Mean Girls_?”

                Liam chuckled. “I know you don’t.”

                “Did Zayn try to come in and check on me?”

                “He did. I stopped him.”

                “He’ll never leave her, you know,” Micaela mumbled. “At least not for me.”

                “Why not? Give yourself more credit.”

                “No one wants to date someone like me.”

                “What’s wrong–?”

                “Liam, stop!” Micaela snapped, jumping to her feet and pacing. “I’m a mess! I have scars above my knees from when my dad burned me if I took too long to get him a beer. I have lines crisscrossing my back from the times punches just weren’t enough. I cut my own wrists to have some form of perverted control over my own body. I wear my hair up because I’m afraid someone will yank it in jest and I’ll freak out. I barely leave my house, and I’m hiding from my psycho father.”

                “Princess–”

                “Look at me, Liam!” Micaela tore off her shirt, throwing it at his feet. “Look at me!”

                Micaela stood before him in her underwear and camisole. He could see the burns on her legs; they went halfway up her thighs. He could see the lines on her wrists. He could see the way her camisole clung to a body that had stared to wither with along with her appetite. He could see the hair pulled into a tight bun. All these characteristics were accompanied by the little things–silent tears, nervously tapping fingers, teeth nibbling on lips–that reminded him of a hurting girl who was losing the person she cared the most about. Liam walked calmly to her dresser and pulled a pair of her own shorts out. “Put these on, princess.”

                Micaela took them, blushing at her rather unseemly outburst. “Sorry. I, um, don’t know why I said all that.”

                “You’re upset; you needed to vent; it’s understandable. Anything I can do to help you feel better?”

                “Can you get an empty box from my closet? It doesn’t have to be too big. I think they’re on the shelf above my clothes.”

                Liam retrieved the requested tem while Micaela knelt in front of her dresser. Liam sat next to her with the box in his lap. She reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out the neatly folded clothes that had only been recently worn by her. The clothes were placed into the box without a single word between the two friends until Micaela folded the flaps to close the box and she said, “I’m going to return these to him.”

                Micaela got to her feet, box in hand, and went downstairs. Louis, Harry, and Aunt Millie were playing a card game.

                “Zayn took Wendy home,” Aunt Millie said without looking up from the game.

                Micaela nodded, walking out the front door and over to her neighbor’s house.

                Doniya answered the door. “Hey, Micaela. What’s in the box?”

                “Will you give this to Zayn?” Micaela asked, ignoring her neighbor’s question.

                “Sure. Are you okay?”

                “Just peachy,” Micaela said with a smile. She disappeared before Doniya could say anything else.

 


	47. Zayn and his sketches

## Zayn and His Sketches

                Zayn slowly went upstairs after a long day and almost as long dinner. His family had been asking after Micaela nonstop. He didn’t want to think about the fact that he and his best friend were having their first fight. He closed his bedroom door before flopping on his bed. He buried his face in his pillow, growling in frustration. Why hadn’t Micaela ever told him how she was feeling? Did he even give her a chance to tell him or did he just talk about Wendy? Zayn groaned as he rolled over onto his back. He draped his arm over his eyes. Why did Liam tell him? Obviously Micaela had wanted to leave it alone.

                Zayn reached into the drawer of his nightstand and blindly pulled out a sketch book. He peaked through his fingers at the silver date in the top corner. He smiled to himself as he flipped to the middle of the book. It was the first sketch of Micaela he’d ever drawn. She looked so small hunched on that stool. Slowly, Zayn flipped through the rest of the book. He watched his sketches of Micaela change: more details accumulated, backgrounds changed, smiles widened. He closed the sketchbook in his hand and reached for the new one on top of his nightstand. He was just starting this book. There were a few random sketches, but the half-finished sketch he was currently working on was supposed to be Wendy. He was having trouble with her face. He felt like he should draw her smiling, but he hadn’t seen a true smile on her face for so long he was forgetting what it looked like. He chewed on the end of the pencil he’d picked up to finish it as he tried to recall the early days of his relationship. He gave up on remember and settled for the scowl he’d grown accustomed to. Zayn’s heart sank. He shouldn’t be used to scowls, should he?

                Closing his sketch book, Zayn swung his legs over the edge of his bed to get to his feet and opened the box Doniya had left in his room. Beneath the cardboard flaps were neatly folded clothes–clothes he’d kept at Micaela’s house for when he slept over. His breath caught at the sight. Was this her way of trying to get rid of him?

                “Well this sucks,” he muttered to himself.

                A light rap on his door pulled him off the dark path his mind was taking. Doniya poked her head in. “Can I come in?”

                Zayn shrugged turning back to the box.

                “What’s in the box?” she asked.

                “My clothes. Micaela is returning them.”

                Doniya sat next to him wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “She likes you, you know.”

                “Liam told me today. I don’t know what to do about it.”

                “I don’t think there’s anything you can do.”

                “I don’t get why she gave these back. I don’t know what upset her yesterday afternoon. I don’t’ know why I can’t picture Wendy smiling. You don’t think Wendy upset her yesterday do you?” Zayn asked.

                “Did you leave them alone together?”

                “Only for a couple of minutes.”

                “Wendy might have said something. Try talking to Micaela about it. And don’t mention what Liam told you. She probably didn’t want that to come out.”

                Zayn nodded. “Thanks, D.”

                “No problem, Zaynie. Now get some sleep. Don’t you have a test tomorrow?”

                Again, Zayn nodded as Doniya stood and left him alone. He touched the clothes in the box once more before crawling into bed with a frown.

 


	48. Harry

## Harry

                He knocked on the front door and announced himself as he pushed it open. He knew she kept the door open so that they could come and go as they pleased, but the kept knocking so she wasn’t too caught off guard. He heard music coming from the kitchen and moved towards the sound. There she was singing along to a song and dancing around the island as she baked what he hoped would turn out to be cupcakes. She was so adorable, so innocent.

                “Oh, baby, when you move like that,” he sang.

                She looked up with a faint blush. “What?”

                “You’re a good dancer,” Harry said.

                Micaela rolled her eyes. “Shut it. Do you want to help me?”

                “Sure, what are you making?”

                “Guess.”

                Harry stood next to her. “Cookies?”

                “Nope,” Micaela said as she reached for a butter stick she’d set out earlier.

                “Hmm…cake?”

                “You’re getting warmer.”

                “This is a difficult one,” Harry teased. “Cupcakes?”

                “Very good,” she opened the tub of chocolate icing. “Here’s your reward.” She got a bit of frosting on a spoon and handed it to him. Harry took it with a grin, putting it in his mouth and drawing it out slowly. Micaela wrinkled her nose as she watched. “That’s not going to work on me, Haz.”

                “You’re no fun,” he grumbled, tossing the spoon in the sink which resulted in a loud clatter.

                “Do you want to help me or not?”

                “Of course I do. We can drown–well, really bury our sorrows in cupcakes.”

                “What sorrows?” Micaela asked as she cracked an egg.

                “Don’t play dumb. We’re both suffering from acute cases of heartache, duh.”

                “If I ignore it long enough, it’ll go away. I ignored my dad when he kept calling here and he hasn’t called in forever.”

                Harry frowned, but let it go. “Okay, so we don’t talk about things.”

                “Good boy,” Micaela murmured smearing a bit of batter on his cheek.

                Harry stuck his tongue out to attempt licking the batter off, but he failed miserably, so he used his finger. He hummed around his finger as he sucked.

                “Someone need to get laid?” Micaela teased.

                “Yeah…you want to help with that?”

                Micaela turned her head, finger in her mouth as she tasted the batter. “Hmm…no.”

                She snickered as Harry gasped. “You tease,” he growled dragging a lone finger down her arm.

                The silence between the two would have lasted longer if Micaela’s stomach hadn’t growled. “You’ve eaten today, right?”

                Micaela stared blankly into the living room. “I think so.”

                “How do you not know?”

                “When you all are gone, all my days sort of run together.”

                “I’ll make you a sandwich. You keep working on those cupcakes.”

                “Haz, I’m not hungry,” Micaela said.

                Harry raised one eyebrow. “You’re really going to try that on me?”

                “I don’t think I have anything to make a proper sandwich.”

                “Sure you do,” Harry began rummaging around the kitchen. He found a half-eaten loaf of bread, some ham, two different cheeses, and a bit of barbeque sauce. “How does a ham and cheese sandwich sound?”

                Micaela’s stomach answered before she could. “I guess it sounds delicious.”

                Harry sang as he worked. “What kind of cheese do you like?” he asked changing the lyrics of one of his songs.

                “The orange and white one,” Micaela replied with an amused smile.

                Harry resumed singing with the correct lyrics as he sliced some cheese for her sandwich. He remembered her telling him exactly how she liked her sandwiches made. They’d been stuck in the house one rainy afternoon and Harry had volunteered to make everyone lunch. Micaela had followed him into the kitchen and relayed how she liked her sandwiches: sauce spread on both slices of bread, meat below the cheese, and cut in two diagonally. She asked so politely and shyly that Harry didn’t mind the list and complied easily. “Eat. I’ll take over the cupcakes,” Harry said placing her sandwich in front of a stool by the island. Micaela slid into the seat as Harry took up blending the ingredients together before pouring them into the cupcake pan. “You don’t get to frost these until you eat your entire sandwich.”

                “Even the crusts?”

                He chuckled at the despondency in her voice. “No, but all the way up to the crusts.”

                “Jerk.”

                “You’re not starving on my watch,” Harry said giving her a kiss on the forehead.

 


	49. Niall

## Niall

                He sat on his living room couch absentmindedly strumming his guitar. Delilah came in with a plate of nachos. “You’re the best,” he sighed as she sank into the couch next to him.

                “I know,” she chirped. “What are you playing?”

                “Nothing really,” Niall said.

                “You should write it down,” Delilah suggested.

                “Why?”

                “So you can put words to them and make millions.”

                “Who says I’ll make millions?”

                Delilah waved a piece of paper in his face. Niall snatched it away from her with a slight blush. “Where’d you get that?”

                “It was on the counter. You didn’t tell me you were going to try out. Weren’t you and the others going to do it together?”

                “We haven’t talked about it really. I thought I might bring it up when we go back over Christmas.”

                “I think you all should do it. That’d be so cool! I’d know famous people!”

                Niall rolled his eyes at Delilah. “We might not even make it. We’d have to audition.”

                “And you’d all be great,” Delilah said as she snuggled next to Niall beneath his guitar. Her fingers strummed lightly on the strings. “Play something for me?”

 

 _He stood backstage as the butterflies filled his stomach and threatened to push his hastily consumed breakfast out of their way. Though he felt cold, sweat beaded on his forehead. The moisture and drafty room caused him to shiver, but just as he was reaching for a sweater, invisible hands pushed him onto the main stage. He squinted against the white stage lights. The audience, if there was one, was obscured by a thick shroud. There was one, solitary figure he could distinguish: Simon Cowell. He was standing in front of_ the _Simon Cowell; a man who could make all his dreams come true. Simon was looking through some papers he had in his hands, but he looked up when the boy on stage cleared his throat. He didn’t want to sing if Simon wasn’t fully paying attention. “Niall is it?” He nodded; Simon knew his name! “You seem to have forgotten something,” Simon observed with a smirk. The boy on stage shivered as another gust of air passed over him and looked down. He was standing before Simon Cowell clad only in his boxers–classic, red polka-dot boxers…_

                With a jolt and a few muttered curses, Niall woke from his dream turned nightmare. He sat up, causing Delilah to groan and roll over on her side. Niall got out of bed and jogged down to the kitchen where the papers Delilah had found were on the counter. With a final cursory glance over them, Niall balled them up and tossed them in the trash can. There was no way in hell he would ever audition now.

 


	50. Micaela and Zayn

## Micaela and Zayn

                She lay on the couch with her head against the arm rest. She was watching the ceiling fan as the blades appeared to combine and separate as they whirled around. Her eyes felt heavy, so she let them slip closed. Sleep had evaded her last night, and her body wasn’t used to running on a few hours of half-sleep anymore so she felt a nap was in order. At least a nap was in order before the front door slammed open and closed. Micaela’s eyes snapped open; her body froze on the couch. The muttering, the stair stomping, the hot water running–all were signs that Zayn had arrived and he’d just left a fight with Wendy.

                Micaela sat up with a sigh. She didn’t have the energy to go through another one of these nights. She dragged her hands over her face. She could tell Zayn she didn’t want to talk about Wendy, but then he’d have all his anger bottled inside and he’d be a kill-joy. Her wrists began to itch at the thought of listening to another Wendy rant. The sleeve of her shirt caught on a scab sending a jolt of pain up her arm. As the pain faded, shame washed over her. She’d broken a promise she’d made to Zayn. She couldn’t take it back, but she wished she could. She’d at least had some control over the promise she’d broken. Micaela pulled her sleeve up to look at the marred skin. Stroking one little line, she whispered, “I’m sorry.” Her mind began wandering, so she wasn’t aware of the shower shutting off or the sound of feet joining her.

                “What do you think of Wendy?”

                Micaela jumped at the voice. She clutched at her chest both hiding her wrist and trying to calm her heart. “I don’t understand the question.”

                Zayn crossed to the couch and sat next to Micaela. There was a slight distance between them–a gap of maybe an inch or two–but Zayn felt like there was an ocean between them. He hated it. This wasn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want to always be fighting with Wendy, to always be venting to Micaela, to always be confused about his feelings. “What do you think of Wendy?”

                “It doesn’t matter what I think. Don’t you like her?” Micaela asked without looking at the boy next to her.

                Zayn really didn’t like how they were sitting. He reached over to her, pulling her into his lap. She seemed uncomfortable and unsure, but quickly relaxed with a soft sigh. “I like Wendy, but I want to know what my best friend thinks.”

                Micaela rubbed a finger in circles over his t-shirt covered shoulder while she replied quietly, “You guys seem to fight a lot, but I guess that’s how you all work. She seemed nice enough when she was over here.”

                Zayn frown at that, though Micaela couldn’t see. “Did she say something to you that made you so upset?”

                Micaela stiffened. “No.”

                “Why’d you give my clothes back?”

                Micaela pressed her face into his chest. “Thought you’d want them back,” she mumbled.

                “I would have taken them myself if I wanted them.”

                “Wendy made a good point. She’s your girlfriend and I’m not, so I shouldn’t wear your clothes.”

                “You don’t have to change anything, remember? Wendy isn’t going to affect us.”

                Micaela snorted. “She already has.”

                “No she–”

                Micaela looked at him, her gaze sharp enough to silence him. “Yes, she has. You’re not over here all the time. I can’t remember the last time you slept over. You’re always upset because she’s done something again. We don’t just have fun anymore; either I’m trying to distract you from your most recent fight or you’re too distracted by good memories to play properly. Do you realize this is the closest we’ve been in four months?” Zayn was positive her question was rhetorical, but her sudden silence had him trying to come up with a good answer. Before he could give her once though, she started talking again. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I’m happy you’re with the one you want.”

                Micaela began to extricate herself, but Zayn wouldn’t let her go. “If it’s been four months we’ve got some time to make up.”

                “Zayn, you don’t have to–”

                “Mickey-Mouse, you’re important to me. Wendy definitely hasn’t changed that.”

                Micaela frowned as she settled back into his lap. She’d almost begun ranting about her own jealousy towards Wendy. Zayn couldn’t know that. She was not a home wrecker.

                Zayn slowly stroked Micaela’s hair as the third movie they’d watched tonight ended. She’d fallen asleep halfway through this movie and she was right where she belonged. He’d missed their cuddling. Wendy wasn’t much of a snuggler; she always remained upright when they sat on the couch together. “Let’s get you to be, love,” he murmured. He stood up, cradling his best friend in his arms as he climbed the stairs to her room. “Do you want to change into a t-shirt or something?” She nodded so he put her down. She stumbled to her dresser and changed into a t-shirt. She crawled into bed, blindly pushing at blankets and pillows. Zayn chuckled as he helped her settle in. Micaela curled into the fetal position, but Zayn caught sight of a wrist in the dim light of the lamp he’d turned on while she changed. His stomach sank as he stared at the healing cuts. He knew she hadn’t told him the whole truth about Wendy, but it hadn’t occurred to him it might drive her so far. Liam’s idiot comment rang in Zayn’s ears as he got into bed with Micaela. With every passing day Liam seemed to be more and more right.

                


	51. Aunt Millie and Zayn

## Aunt Millie and Zayn

                He rubbed his eyes as he jogged down the stairs his stomach rumbling. He was planning on grabbing something quick so Micaela didn’t wake up alone.

                “Zayn? What are you doing here?”

                He looked up from the fridge at Aunt Millie. “I slept over last night.”      

                “Really? I didn’t even know,” Aunt Millie murmured.

                “Are you okay?” Zayn asked.

                “For the most part. Why?”

                “Your hair is…normal.”

                Aunt Millie smiled and patted her naturally blonde hair. “I know.”

                “So does this mean your single?”

                Aunt Millie smirked. “Have I been the one you actually want this whole time?”

                “What? No-I-you just–”

                Aunt Millie threw her head back as she laughed. “Calm down. I’m just teasing.”

                Zayn dropped his eyes back to the fridge. He was running out of time. He should have just stayed with Micaela. He groaned into the fridge. “That’s not nice.”

                Aunt Millie giggled, but her mirth faded as she leaned against the counter. “How have you been? You haven’t been around much lately.”

                “I’m doing alright. Can I ask you for some advice?”

                “Sure, sugar. What’s up?”

                Zayn braced himself against the open refrigerator door. “How do I keep a girl happy?”

                “Wendy or Micaela?”

                Zayn shrugged looking completely hopeless. “Both?”

                “Well there’s no way to do that. What’s wrong with Wendy?”

                “She just keeps complaining. I’ve done everything she’s ever asked. She just keeps demanding things. I had to fight with her just to come over here. It’s like she can go around and do whatever she wants, but I can’t. I need her fucking permission to breathe.”

                “Then leave her. She sounds miserable.”

                “Oh. You’re still here.”

                Zayn and Aunt Millie turned to the kitchen entrance by the hallway. Micaela stood there covering her mouth as she yawned.

                “Hey, baby doll. What are you doing down here?” Aunt Millie asked.

                “Bad dream,” she mumbled.

                A feeling of guilt bit into Zayn’s gut. He should have just stayed in bed. “Are you okay?” he asked.

                “I’m fine,” Micaela said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What are you two doing?”

                “I was just giving Zayn some advice regarding Wendy.”

                Micaela’s face froze in an unnatural smile. She nodded, turning back to the stairs. Zayn and Aunt Millie shared a look before Zayn closed the fridge and followed his mumbling best friend to her room.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “You need to go,” she intoned.

                Zayn froze, arm hanging in mid-air since he’d been meaning to grab her shoulder. “What?”

                “You need to go,” Micaela repeated through her teeth. She turned to face him.

                Zayn was confused. Hadn’t she just been telling him she missed him last night? Now she wanted him to go? “Why?”

                “Because I want you to!”

                “But I don’t understand. I thought you wanted to spend time with me.”

                Micaela closed her eyes and grit her teeth in an attempt to calm her temper. “I have to take care of myself. Having you here isn’t good for me.” Micaela tugged on her hair while Zayn stood silently in front of her. “It hurts too much. I like you, a lot more than just a friend. I have for a while. I can’t stand Wendy and what she’s doing to you. Maybe I’m feeling left out. And I know that if I really needed you, you’d be there, but it’s not enough. I needed you this morning and you were talking about Wendy downstairs. You can’t keep denying that she’s changing anything. Just tell me for once. Tell me you’re going to spend more time with her; that you’re running late because you just couldn’t seem to say goodbye; that you’d rather date her than me. Just tell me!

                “You don’t really want me to say all those things,” Zayn murmured.

                “Yes, I do!” she shouted stepping up to him. “I couldn’t properly be mad at you or be jealous or whatever I am because I never told you how I felt, but now I have, so tell me.”

                “No. Micaela, you’re not thinking. You’re upset.”

                Micaela spun away from him, putting space between them. Zayn watched as she scratched at her wrists, tugged her hair, and rubbed her arms. “Don’t treat me like a child. I’m all grown up. I can take it.”

                “I’m not going to say those things,” Zayn said, his frustration growing.

                Micaela spun again, suddenly in his face. “Get out,” she growled. Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed. “Get out now!” She pushed again and again.

                “Alright! Fine! I’m going!” Zayn turned and slammed the door behind him. Aunt Millie only stared at him with her mouth open as he stormed out the front door.

 


	52. Aunt Millie and Louis

## Aunt Millie and Louis

                She knocked softly on the bedroom door that had remained closed for the majority of the day. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. “Micaela?” she called softly.

                “Go away!” was the muffled reply.

                “Sweetie, have you eaten anything today? Aren’t you hungry?”

                “No.”

                “But–”

                “I’m not hungry. I want to be alone. That’s all I ever truly wanted. Go on your date with the doctor.”

                Aunt Millie frowned, but relented. She was not going to leave Micaela alone while she went on her date. She called Louis who she’d designated her back-up man if Zayn wasn’t available.

                “Hello?”

                “Hey Louis, it’s Aunt Millie. Are you available to come be with Micaela? She and Zayn had a fight and she’s locked herself in her room. I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t let me in. She ordered me to go on my date tonight. Maybe you could get through to her?”

                “I can try. Liam would be a better option for getting to him. He’s with his aunt though for the weekend isn’t he. I’ll be right over.”

                Louis hung up and Aunt Millie went downstairs to wait for her date to pick her up. Maybe she should cancel her date and try to coax Micaela from her room. The doorbell rang and it was suddenly too late to take any action. Despite her worry, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She really liked this doctor and he seemed to be really into her, especially now that her hair was no longer cherry red. He’d told her he didn’t mind her coloring her hair, but he did want to see it naturally once. Running a hand through the blonde hair she hadn’t properly seen in years. Aunt Millie pulled open the door. “Hi, James,” she greeted shyly.

                “Hello, Millie. You look lovely,” James returned.

                “Thank you.” With a glance up the stairs, Aunt Millie closed the door and began going down the steps to the sidewalk.

                “Aren’t you going to lock it?” James asked.

                “No. My niece is home and her friend is coming over. It’ll be fine.”

                “Is everything okay?” James asked.

                “Yes,” Aunt Millie replied too quickly.

                James frowned, but didn’t press as he placed his hand on Aunt Millie’s lower back and guided her to his car. “Then let’s get tonight started.”

 

                Louis pulled up shortly after Aunt Millie had departed. He jogged up to and through the front door. The house was dark and completely silent. Louis frowned, slightly unnerved by it. Usually Micaela had music or the television on, but maybe it was quiet downstairs since Micaela was upstairs. He climbed up the stairs and was even more perturbed by the silence behind Micaela’s door. “Monkey butt, can I come in?”   

                No sound could be heard from the other side, but eh door opened a few seconds after his entreaty. “What are you doing here? Did Aunt Millie call you?”

                “Yeah. She wanted me to check on you.”

                Micaela snorted. “Of course she did.” Pushing past Louis, Micaela stomped downstairs and pulled open the front door. “I’m alive and well. You’ve done your duty, so you can go with a clear conscience.” She motioned for him to leave, but he made no move to go.

                Hands on his hips, Louis looked down at her from the top of the stairs. “I’m not going anywhere.”

                “Do you want me to call the cops?” Micaela threatened.

                “We both know you won’t do that.”

                “I will if you don’t leave.”

                “Why?”

                “You’re bothering me.”

                “Micaela, you’re being ridiculous.”

                “So wanting to be left alone is ridiculous? If I’d known that, I’d have just stayed in Chicago. Now get out! Is it really that hard?”

                Louis growled at her demand. This fight with Zayn must have done some serious damage, and he didn’t want to add insult to injury, but she obviously was not in the mood for help.

                “I’m sorry, Lou.”

                Her now quiet, sad voice caught him off guard. She was looking out the door now. Louis descended the stairs and looked outside with her. Zayn and Wendy were walking towards Zayn’s house. They were holding hands and laughing. Louis really did not like Wendy.

                “Thanks for checking on me, but I’m fine. I just need some time to think.”

                Louis kissed the top of her head. “Remember to smile and that you can call any of us if you need some company to help you think,” he murmured as he slipped out of her house closing the door behind him. Micaela slid the deadbolt into place, the sound ringing in Louis’ ear as he got into his car without being spotted by the couple drawing closer.

 


	53. Micaela

## Micaela

                She rolled over, pressing her smiling face into the soft pillow under her head. The light slipping between the curtains slowly opened her eyes. She let out a long breath as she propped herself up on her elbows. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she glanced at the boy sleeping peacefully beside her. Her lips quirked into a smug smile as she planned how to wake him up. She shifted so her front as flush against his back. Her lips peppered his shoulder with light kisses as her arm snaked around his waist. A victorious chuckle interrupted her kisses as he grunted and interlocked their fingers.

                _Morning_ , he sighed.

                “It’s not morning, silly. It’s almost two.”

                It was his turn to chuckle. _We should probably get out of bed._

“Do we have to?” she whined, but she got her answer from her growling stomach instead of the boy.

                _I’ll race you to the kitchen._

                He was out from under her so suddenly she shrieked. Disentangling herself from the sheets, she ran after him, sliding into the kitchen on her socks. He was singing to himself as he searched through the cabinets.

                _Aunt Millie left a note,_ he told her indicating with his head.

                She read the note telling her Aunt Millie was out with James and didn’t know when she’d be back. “Sometimes I feel like we’re the fuddy-duddy parents and she’s our social teen,” she joked.

                _We are not fuddy-duddies_ , he said as he abandoned his search for food and stood behind her at the island. She leaned into him, placing the note on the counter. _We are the cool parents who let their kid have a life_.

                “Did you decide what you wanted for lunch?” she asked.

                _I was going to let you decide._

“You know I can’t make decisions,” she groaned.

                _It’s always fun to watch you try, though._

                She rolled her eyes and picked up his search. There wasn’t anything that immediately caught her attention. “Maybe we just won’t eat.” Her stomach growled impatiently as her words left her lips. “Or not,” she murmured with a pointed look at the offending body part.

                _Maybe a sandwich?_ He suggested.

                She smiled and nodded. They piled the ingredients on the island. She turned on some music so they could sing along as they made their lunch. He really was a fantastic singer, but his dance skills were definitely lacking. However, she knew better than to tease because he’d stop and get embarrassed. He was always so worried about what everyone thought.

                _What kind of sandwich are you making?_

“The same one I always make.”

                _Don’t you want to try something new?_

                “No. It’s rare new things ever work out.”

                _Such a cynic,_ he teased. She simply rolled her eyes and took a bite of sandwich.

                “Sweetie, you’re up!”

                Micaela turned to the voice to find Aunt Millie and who she assumed was James the doctor in the doorway. “I was hungry,” Micaela mumbled.

                “I’d like you to meet James,” Aunt Millie introduced. “James, this is my niece, Micaela.”

                “It’s nice to meet you, Micaela,” James said.

                “Likewise. I’ve heard so much about you,” Micaela mumbled.

                “Good things I hope,” James said with a smile.

                Micaela smiled not meeting his eyes but looking at her now wholly unappetizing sandwich. Aunt Millie excused herself, leaving Micaela and James alone. Micaela started putting the sandwich making supplies away leaving her barely touched sandwich alone on the counter.

                “So what grade are you in?” James asked in an attempt to start up a conversation.

                “I’m just taking some online classes. It’s complicated to explain,” Micaela replied. “Could you let Aunt Millie know I’m in my room and that I like you just fine?”

                “Yeah, sure I guess, but don’t you want your sandwich?”

                Micaela looked at the food and shook her head. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

                Her stomach growled, but the thought of eating anything else made her nauseous.

                “You need to eat. It won’t hurt you,” James said softly. “Trust me. I’m a doctor.”

                “I’m not hungry, “Micaela repeated, hurrying up before she said something rude to the doctor.

                _Trust me…trust me…trust me…_ Those two words echoed in her head. Maybe she was overreacting. She was almost certain that she was, but she couldn’t care less. She was tired of pretending because it made everything hurt tenfold. And as her skin began to shimmer read, no shame washed over her.

 


	54. Liam

## Liam

                “Ow! Bloody hell,” he grunted.

                The door opened slowly after his outburst. Aunt Millie stood on the other side with a small slightly amused expression on her face.

                “Why is the door locked?” he asked.

                Aunt Millie shrugged. “She keeps it like that now. It seems like she’s completely regressed.” She stepped aside to let Liam in. “She’s actually in the living room today.”

                Liam turned to his left and saw his friend slouched under a blanket on the couch. Her eyes and her focus were solely on the movie she was watching. He wasn’t surprised when it was one of the _Harry Potter_ movies. “Hey princess,” he greeted.

                Her head turned slowly from the television. “Hi Liam.” She patted the space next to her inviting him to take a seat. He accepted without hesitation. Aunt Millie made herself busy upstairs. “She and the doctor are going on a weekend trip. I’ll be glad when she’s gone. She’s been hovering lately.”

                “Think it has anything to do with your sudden seclusion?” His tone was teasing, a tactic he used to breech the sensitive topic.

                “That was why I came here in the first place. I never planned on making friends.”

                “But you did and we want to help you.”

                “Help me with what?”

                Liam sighed internally; he knew this was going to be difficult. “You can’t ignore the fact that you’ve shut Zayn out of your life. The door is locked. Louis says you apparently refuse to leave your room. You’re hurting and we want to help.”

                Micaela pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “I can help myself.”

                “Cutting your wrists is not the answer.”

                “I’m not doing that.”

                Liam rolled his eyes. “Lying isn’t the answer either.”

                “What do you want me to say, Liam? The whole mess is my fault. If I’d just kept my mouth shut and pretended to be okay, Zayn and I would still be talking and everything would be okay.”

                “It’s not bad that you told Zayn how you feel. That’s a good thing. Maybe it’ll make him think about how he really feels.”

                Micaela snorted. “My life is not a book. He won’t just magically appear, sweep me off my feet, and kiss me like his life depends on it. It doesn’t work like that. And if telling a person how you feel is so good, why haven’t you told Sophia about how you feel?”

                Liam didn’t have a good response to that.

                “I pretend he’s here with me and that we’re together,” Micaela admitted. “I don’t know why though. It only makes me feel worse. I’ve cried myself to sleep every night this week. I really am a masochist.”

                Liam put an arm around her. “No, you’re just day dreaming and wishing you had him. If it makes you feel any better, he looks pretty miserable too.”

                A tiny smile graced her lips. “Is it bad that it does?”

                Liam chuckled. “No.”

                “Have you written anymore songs?” Micaela asked.

                Liam, who was still serious about actually becoming a band, had been jotting down some song ideas. He’d shared some with Micaela, but he hadn’t written any for a while. “Actually I do.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a black notebook. He handed it to Micaela and nibbled his lip as she scanned through the pages.

                “I like this once,” she said. “ _Said I’d never leave her cause her hands fit like my t-shirt. Tongue tied over three words…_ I like that one a lot.” She handed him the notebook which he took with a grateful smile.

 


	55. Zayn

## Zayn

                He had one week until his five month anniversary. He’d wasted five whole months in a one-sided relationship that wasn’t even one-sided anymore. He was completely disillusioned and unhappy. They were sitting on the couch watching some TV show she couldn’t stop talking about. His arms were stretched along the back of the couch, but they weren’t touching her. She was sitting an inch or two away from him with her arms and legs crossed. She was completely closed off from him. She usually had a hand on his thigh at least. “Wendy, we need to talk.”

                She looked at him with big, seemingly innocent eyes. “About what?”

                Zayn sighed, “About us.”

                Her brows furrowed. “Us?”

                “Yes, us,” Zayn snapped, losing his patience. “What are we doing?”

                “We’re watching TV, silly,” she giggled.

                “Wendy, please. I’m trying to talk to you.”

                “And you’re doing a wonderful job,” she mocked.

                “Wendy…”

                “Zayn…” Her smile was more of a leer than an actual smile. Zayn got off the couch and stood over her. Wendy looked up at him with the same look of false innocence on her face. She lost interest in his unpleasant expression and turned back to the television. “I like you much better when you smile,” she muttered.

                “I don’t care,” Zayn growled.

                Wendy arched her eyebrow. “Pardon?”

                “I don’t care that you like me more when I smile because I like you more when you smile too.”

                “Just because I don’t smile doesn’t mean I’m not happy. But I know when you aren’t smiling you’re not happy. So what’s gotten under your skin this time?” Wendy asked tiredly, as if she’d heard it all before. Zayn opened and closed his mouth, suddenly too angry to form a coherent thought. “You can do it. Move your lips like you were moments before. C’mon baby,” Wendy coaxed.

                “Stop that,” Zayn spat. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you and you’re messing around.” Wendy clasped her hands in her lap and was obviously holding back laughter as she waited for him to continue. “What’s so funny?” he demanded. 

                Wendy bent over a she released her laughter. “You’re funny when you’re trying to be angry.”

                “I am angry, Wendy!” Zayn shouted.

                Wendy kept laughing. Zayn clenched and unclenched his fists. He’d never wanted to hit a girl so badly. He turned away, heading for the front door.

                “Aw, Zayn, wait. Come back,” Wendy called after him. “Zayn, c’mon. I’ll listen, I’ll listen. What’s bothering you?” Wendy was off the couch and on his heels.

                “Goodbye, Wendy,” Zayn grumbled as he pulled his shoes on.

                 Wendy’s face betrayed her confusion. “Where are you going?”

                “I don’t know, but it’s better than here.”

                “But we were going to have dinner.”

                Zayn gave her a blank look. “Well, we’re not anymore. Goodbye.”

                Wendy grabbed his arm. “Wait, wait, wait…are you…breaking up with me?”

                Zayn hadn’t realized how relieving those words could be. He felt free for the first time in almost five months. “Yes. Aren’t you clever?”

                “You can’t–just like that? No!” Wendy shrieked. “Zayn you’re not thinking rationally. I was just teasing earlier. I didn’t mean any of it. Don’t go.” Zayn ignored her, not feeling the need to listen to her anymore. “Zayn, you can’t just end it like this. You can’t leave me!”

                “I can do whatever I want to,” Zayn said.

                Wendy let go of his arm as her mouth dropped open. Zayn closed the door and faced the street. Where to go from here? 


	56. Micaela

## Micaela

                Aunt Millie had found a calendar full of funny sayings for each day of the year which she placed on the table next to the front door. Micaela continued to stare at today’s page, and, though she’d read it three times already, it still didn’t make sense. Maybe the fact that it’d been a solid two weeks since she’d seen or talked to Zayn was blocking her comprehension skills.  She sighed, turning away from the calendar. It was odd to think it’d been so long. Their record had been one day up until this point. She hadn’t spent all this time alone. The other boys stopped by, but it was hard for her to be herself when she felt like she was back at square one.

                The fantasies she provided herself with were keeping her as together as she seemed. She could pretend for the few hours she was awake and out of bed pretending she was in a relationship with her best friend; however, at night the illusions often shattered and cut open the wounds that had only slightly healed through the day. She was well aware that this way of living wasn’t healthy, but she didn’t know how else to cope and it wasn’t the first time fantasies had sustained her. She used to pretend her mom would come into her room at night to comfort her after her dad had been particularly violent. It had been hard to picture her mother fully since her only memories of the woman came from old pictures her dad had locked away. Her maternal fantasies devolved into faint illusions of a warm body holding her as she stared into her dark room waiting for the tears that had long since stopped falling.

                Micaela mounted the stairs, only to close her eyes in frustration as her stomach growled impatiently as she reached the top landing. She couldn’t remember if she’d eaten dinner or lunch yesterday, but she’d had Pop-Tarts for breakfast. “Isn’t that enough?” she grumbled as she turned to go back downstairs.

 _I told you, you need to eat,_ he chuckled as she trudged down.

                “Shut it,” she growled as she passed him at the bottom of the stairs. He whistled happily as he followed her to the kitchen. “I don’t even know what I want,” she groaned.

                _How about macaroni and cheese? We haven’t had that in a while_ , he suggested.

                “Maybe because it’s a lot of work and I haven’t really felt up to it,” she said as she pulled out a box of pasta. She filled a pot with hot water and set it to boiling as she gathered the milk and butter for later. As soon as the water boiled, she poured in the pasta and began to stir. She rested against the counter watching the steam rise and the noodles swim. He busied himself by getting bowls and forks out before pouring them each a glass of water. She took her drink gratefully, gulping greedily as thirst suddenly overwhelmed her.

                _It’s not really cheese, you know,_ he said while he inspected the cheese the box had provided them with.

                “Yes it is. The box says so,” she argued. “They can’t lie to us about what they feed us.”

                _Sure they could._

                “The government won’t let them.”

                _But since when was cheese ever powdery? It’s not natural._

                “You’ve eaten it before and nothing bad has happened.”

                He smiled at her, enjoying the trivial argument they were having. _You can’t be so sure. What if these orange chemicals are mutating my genes as we speak and I wake up tomorrow like the Hulk?_

                “First of all, if anyone would mutate tomorrow, it’d be me since I’ve eaten a lot more of this than you have. Second of all, Hulk became Hulk because of radiation, not macaroni and cheese. Third of all, it really is cheese.”

                _I like how that’s your third point_ , he teased.

                “Saved the best for last.”

                _Call me when it’s ready,_ he said before he walked away.

                “Where are you going?”

                _Upstairs. I think I left my phone up there. It just occurred to me that I don’t exactly know where it is._

She chuckled to herself while she continued to stir. He was so weird, but, then again, she was weirder. It was only a few minutes before she felt eyes on her. She kept her eyes on the boiling pasta, smiling to herself as she pretended not to notice, but when the heavy stare became too much, she asked, “What are you doing?”

                “I’m watching you.”

                “Why?”

                “I like watching you cook.”

                She wrinkled her nose. What an odd thing to like, but to each his own. “Well, why don’t you come over here and have a closer look.”

                Light, almost silent footsteps brought him to her. One arm wrapped around her waist while the other held her upturned face still. His thumb brushed over her lip before his lips pressed against hers. Gentle only for a moment, the kiss grew desperate as her mouth let him in with a broken sigh. The arm around her waist tightened and the hand on her cheek tilted her head into a better angle for the kiss to deepen a little further. The boiling pasta was long forgotten as her hands came up to his chest to clutch the t-shirt he was wearing.

                The scream of the stove timer tore her lips away from his. It took her brain a few moments to pen her eyes. It took her brain only a matter of seconds to realize that these were solid arms holding her intimately against a solid body that was breathing just as heavily as she was. It took her brain a mere fraction of a second to put the pieces together. She had really just kissed her best friend Zayn Malik.

 


	57. Best Friends and the Aftermath of a Kiss

## Best Friends and the Aftermath of a Kiss

                Zayn stared at her as she turned in his arm to turn the timer off. She eased out of his grasp and drained the pasta. Quickly, the butter and milk were added, and in no time lunch was ready. Not a word was spoken as she moved to the lone bowl waiting to be filled with food. She looked at the bowl with a frown, then a sigh before deciding she wasn’t able to eat at the moment. The uneaten pasta was put in a Tupperware container that was stored in the fridge. She could feel his eyes follow her out of the kitchen, and she could feel his silent presence follow her upstairs. She heard him close the door as she finally stilled in the middle of her room.

                Micaela ran a shaky hand through her hair. Her brain was scrambling to come up with some sort of…something. She didn’t realize her whole body was shaking until she felt his hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. He held her close and whispered in her ear, “Just breathe. Just breathe for me, baby girl.” He knew he’d probably shocked her by coming in, sweeping her into his arms, and kissing her; it seemed like she was freaking out. She sucked in one shuddering breath exhaling in a choked sob. Zayn had expected a few tears, but not the completely broken girl in his arms. He was reminded of one of their earliest memories when she’d opened up to him on the stairs. That was the last time he’d seen her cry like this. Liam had been a genius; he, Zayn, was an idiot. Zayn lifted her up and moved them to the bed. She pressed her body against his as she sobbed into his chest. All he could do to try and calm her was rub her back. He relaxed when the choked sobs slowly turned into sniffles and wry giggles. Micaela rolled away, sitting with her back to Zayn on the edge of the bed.

                “I’m sorry,” she murmured, turning her head to look at him. “I don’t really know what that was all about.”

                Zayn smiled; she didn’t sound angry or upset. “I may have overwhelmed you.”

                She smirked. “Just a tad.” She inhaled and exhaled, shrugging her shoulders as she did so.

                “I broke up with Wendy.”

                Micaela’s lips quirked up into a smile. “I know. Liam told me a few days ago.”

                Zayn rolled so he was closer to her. She looked down at him, her hair falling like a curtain across her face. Zayn reached up to tuck it behind her ear. “Remember when you told me to tell you I didn’t want you?”

                “How could I forget?” she mumbled with a blush.

                “I couldn’t say any of those things. At the time I wanted to be able to since I was dating Wendy. I just couldn’t.”

                “Why?”

                He trailed a hand down her cheek, his thumb passing over her lips. “It would have been a lie. Ever since my father’s dinner party where you dressed up you’ve been on my mind.”

                Micaela wrinkled her nose. “Wasn’t that like two months ago?”

                Zayn smiled fondly at his best friend. “You caused a couple of fights.”

                Micaela groaned, falling into Zayn’s chest with a smile. “Don’t make me feel bad.”

                He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and rolling so he was on top of her. He kissed her nose and cheeks until she giggled. “Don’t feel bad,” he murmured. He held himself over her best friend who looked up at him with wide eyes and a small smile. She reached up to touch her cheeks with a look of awe. His caught her wrist and looked at the healing cuts. He frowned at them, slow to notice the embarrassed, downcast glance of her eyes. “Oh, baby girl,” he sighed.

                “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, covering her eyes. “I broke a promise and that made me feel words and it all snowballed from there. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

                He could hear the tears in her voice and looked down at her. “There’s no need to apologize, baby. I’m here for you now.”

                Micaela looked back up at him.

                “Micaela?”

                “Yeah,” she breathed.

                “Will you go out with me?”

                Everything paused as they looked at each other. She sucked in a breath while he held his. “Yes.” Zayn grinned, granting her another kiss. She giggled as he pulled away. “Stay with me tonight?” she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

                “Of course.”

 


	58. Zayn and the Frying Pan

## Zayn and the Frying Pan

                “Going to make breakfast, baby girl.”

                She just hummed, snuggling closer.

                “Means you’re going to have to let me up.”

                She grunted, but did roll over. He got up slowly turning to look at the girl on her side with her t-shirt riding up and the blankets around her hips. He frowned as he looked at the exposed skin stretched over her bones. Why hadn’t she been eating?

                “I thought you were making breakfast?” His eyes snapped to hers. She rolled off the bed and padded over to him. “I’m going to be okay,” she murmured.

                Zayn ran his hands through her hair as she hugged him. They ghosted over her shoulder and down her arms. His fingers interlaced with hers. “I’ll come make breakfast with you,” she said. He nodded, pulling her downstairs. They stopped short in the doorway. The good doctor and Aunt Millie had beaten them to the kitchen, but they weren’t making breakfast. The older couple was up against the counter. Micaela cleared her throat since Zayn was too shocked to say anything. Aunt Millie and the doctor broke apart each looking embarrassed but smug. “Do we need to ask you kids to get a room before the kitchen becomes too contaminated?” Micaela asked.

                “Like you two weren’t going to do the same thing,” Aunt Millie said with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

                Micaela opened and closed her mouth before she said, “We were not! We were going to make breakfast.”

                Aunt Millie giggled as she pulled the doctor out of the kitchen. “Of course you were. We were making breakfast too.”

                Zayn groaned as soon as he and Micaela were alone. “Do you know how to un-see something?”

                “It wasn’t as bad as it could have been,” Micaela chuckled.

                “This is unfortunately true. What do you want for breakfast?”

                “Pop-tarts,” Micaela replied quickly.

                “I’m pretty sure that’s all you’ve eaten the past couple of weeks.”

                “And?”

                Zayn gave her a look, one mixed between exasperated father and slightly amused boyfriend. “We’ve had this conversation before.”

                Micaela smiled. “I know we have, but I like Pop-tarts.”

                Zayn walked over to her from the cabinet he’d been searching through for breakfast. She smiled at him, forced to tilt her head back to see his face. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” he said.

                “I like lunch more.”

                “Have you always been this difficult?” he teased with a smirk.

                “Yes, but you’re just out of practice.”

                “Well, we’ll just have to fix that,” he murmured. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. He had to lean down so he could kiss her properly.

                “Now what do we have here?”

                The best friends broke apart at the deep voice suddenly in the same place of them. Harry smiled, showcasing his dimples and pearly whites. Louis popped up behind him and then Liam was there putting his keys in his pocket.

                “Lad, I think we’re interrupting,” Louis said.

                Liam raised an eyebrow at Zayn and Micaela. “Got something to tell us?”

                The only girl in the room wrapped an arm around the boy who she was closest to. “Uh, well, Zayn and I…” she smiled as the words formed o the tip of her tongue. “We’re together,” she finished quietly.

                “And we were working on breakfast,” Zayn murmured.

                “Sure you were,” Harry said with a wink as he moved further into the kitchen.

                Louis plucked Micaela away from Zayn despite the other boy’s protest. “Dad needs to have the talk with your boy,” he said dragging her to the couch. Micaela pouted while Liam and Zayn rolled their eyes. “Now, tell me exactly how this came to be about.”

                Micaela opened her mouth, but was interrupted by a camera click and a groan followed by a giggle.

                “What was that for?” Zayn asked the photographer.

                “This day starts a whole new chapter in your life,” Aunt Millie said. “It has to be documented.” She appeared around the corner to show Micaela and Louis the picture. Liam was leaning against the island directly across from Zayn who was pulling the large frying pan from under the oven. He was obviously surprised by the flash; his eyes squinted and mouth in a shocked “o”. Liam had an amused expression on his face, clearly aware Aunt Millie was taking a picture. Behind Zayn, Harry was grinning like the idiot he pretended to be, waving a wooden spoon at the camera.


	59. The Boys and Micaela

## The Boys and Micaela

                Aunt Millie dragged her suitcase down the stairs much to the chagrin of the good doctor who had lost the battle to help her with her bags. “You guys know the rules. Be safe,” said Aunt Millie with a pointed look at Zayn and Micaela. “Have fun and behave yourselves.” Aunt Millie gave her niece a tight hug and blew the boys a kiss. “I’ll be back.” With that, Aunt Millie was off with the doctor to Canada.

                Louis sucked the whipped cream he’d scooped out of the container off his finger. Harry had made them breakfast with limited help from Zayn and Liam. Louis had kept Micaela on the couch to talk about how she and Zayn had finally gotten together. It was a story she didn’t mind rehashing when they’d all gathered in the living room for breakfast. “So what are we going to do today?”

                Five pairs of eyes turned to the window through which they could see the too common dreary downpour they were too accustomed to.

                “Let’s put up the Christmas decorations,” Micaela suggested from her perch on Zayn’s lap.

                “But it’s nowhere close to Christmas,” Liam said.

                “So?”

                “You can’t put up Christmas stuff so early.”

                “It’s never too early. When I have a place of my own, I’ll have Christmas things up all the time.”

                Liam huffed when he realized he wasn’t going to get anywhere with her.

                “What about a tree? No one is selling them yet,” Harry said.

                Micaela thought about this. “I wanted a real tree this ear, but Aunt Millie had a fake one sine she hardly ever knows where she’s going to be. We could put that one up and then replace it with a real tree later.” She smiled to herself, giving herself a mental pat on the back for closing a loophole Liam could have exploited.

                “I’ll get the hot chocolate,” Louis said hopping off the couch.

                “I’ll put the music on.” Micaela scampered to the stereo. “You three get the boxes.”

                Zayn, Harry, and Liam did as they were told, bringing Aunt Millie’s numerous Christmas boxes down from the hall. Micaela put down the CDs she’d been looking at to start opening the boxes. Her cheeks were already hurting from the grin stretching her lips. She loved Christmas. It was, hands down, her favorite time of year. Everyone was happy, everyone was nice; the music was wonderful, the lights and decorations gave everything a little bit of magic. Micaela began humming along to the Elvis Presley song playing, preferring to hear Liam and Harry actually sing along. Louis joined them as he brought five mugs of hot chocolate into the living room.

                “Can you untangle these?” Micaela asked Louis handing the boy a tangled ball of lights.

                “I thought we fixed this problem last year,” Louis said as he took the lights.

                “We talked about it, but never actually did anything about it,” said Harry. He took a small box full of candles and started placing them around the room. “These all don’t go in here, do they?” Harry asked when he realized the true amount of candles in the box.

                “No. You can put some in the kitchen, and the big silver ones go on the stairs, between those posts under the shorter banister,” Micaela explained. She pulled the Christmas books out and arranged them on the mantle, shifting the candles Harry had already put up.

                “Done,” Louis announced, proudly displaying the now untangled lights.

                “You do that so fast,” Zayn mused.

                “It’s my one true passion. If I’m not doing something massively important, I’m locked in my room untangling Christmas lights,” Louis “admitted”.

                Micaela chuckled as she took the lights to where Zayn was wrapping garland around the banister. She followed behind him as she twisted the lights with the garland. They stayed very close to each other as they went up the stairs. He was singing along to the music, but he was quiet so only she could hear him. Once they reached the top of the stairs, Zayn put her on his feet and danced on the landing as he continued to sing.

                “Keep to yourselves while we’re in the house,” Louis shouted up to the couple who were definitely taking too long.

                Zayn and Micaela rolled their eyes, but went downstairs to ease the worries of their friends. Harry and Louis were serenading each other while Liam sang back up. Zayn joined Liam as the other boy was putting up the tree. Micaela stood at the bottom of the stairs, her chest aching from the amount of happiness it was trying to contain. Harry glanced up at her, abandoning his serenading of Louis to serenade her.  Picking her up, Harry spun her around the room making her laugh. Louis stood with a string of untangled lights to wrap around the tree. Zayn pulled Micaela away from Harry to save the hot chocolate the two of them were close to upsetting with their antics. Liam dragged the final box full of ornaments closer to the tree. Once Louis was done, the five of them began to hang ornaments. Aunt Millie’s ornaments were not the classic red, silver, and gold balls or any other traditional Christmas shapes. Her ornaments were tropical pink, orange, and green. Some were balls, other were squares or triangles. There were those that were solid color and those with glitter patterns on them. She also had several homemade ornaments and some ornaments that were pictures of favorite vacation memories. Aunt Millie seemed to have too many ornaments for the three, but Micaela made sure each one found a place.

                “Can someone help me put the star up?” she asked.

                “Of course,” Zayn said, lifting her up so she could reach the top of the tree.

                Just as she settled it perfectly on top, the phone rang. Micaela looked towards the kitchen as she slowly slid down Zayn to the floor.

                “I’ll get it,” Louis announced. “Who’s Keith Benet?”

                Micaela paled, swaying where she stood.

                “Don’t answer it, Lou,” Zayn shouted.

                Louis came back to the living room as the answering machine picked up. “Millie? It’s Keith. I need to talk to you.” The call ended.

                Micaela was shaking. “Oh no,” she gasped. “No, no, no!”

                Zayn turned her around, looking into her eyes. “He can’t get you. He’s not here.”

                “He’s sober, though. He’s never sober. It’s not normal. What if he comes here? Don’t let him take me,” she squeaked.

                “Never,” Zayn breathed.

                Liam, Louis, and Harry looked at each other and then at the couple before them. “Group hug!” Harry shouted. Then it was the five of them in the middle of the living room surrounded by Christmas decorations and empty boxes.

 


	60. Harry

## Harry

                The five of them sat on the living room floor with only the lights from the tree on. Micaela was happily snuggled in Zayn’s lap with the first true smile any of them had seen in weeks. Liam sat to their left, telling a story Harry hadn’t really ever been listening to. Louis was lying next to him, making up half the circle by himself. Harry completed the ring of friends sitting cross-legged with his elbows resting on his knees while his head was supported by his hand. He’d been in his own head since Micaela’s dad had called. He’d watched as she and Zayn had sunk into their own world as Zayn worked to calm her down. What he could only call jealousy had hit him as he watched, but he didn’t want Micaela. He’s come to the conclusion that he wanted what Micaela and Zayn had.

                “You okay, mate?” Louis asked nudging the curly haired boy with his toe.

                “Hm?” Harry hummed as he drew his focus back to the group.

                “You okay?” Louis asked.

                Harry waved him off with a dismissive, “Yeah,yeah.”

                Micaela twisted from her position to reach Harry’s curls which she petted murmuring, “It’s okay, Haz.”

                “What’s bugging you?” Zayn asked.

                “Nothing important,” Harry said hoping they’d drop it. The last think he wanted to do was voice his feelings and ruin the happy mood.

                “Do you want a friendship circle?” Micaela asked.

                Harry smiled at her offer. A “Friendship Circle” was called when someone had something serious to talk about. If one was called, they all usually gathered at Micaela’s, ate a lot of snacks, and talked about whatever was bothering them. They were quite useful in keeping the serious moments short and focused so they could get back to goofing around. Now that he thought about it, Harry was surprised they hadn’t called one when Zayn had been dating Wendy. “No, but thanks babe. Let’s do truth or dare,” Harry suggested deflecting the attention away from himself.

                Micaela and Louis broke into identical grins. Liam’s and Zayn’s reactions were pleased, but less enthusiastic. Harry pulled up the game, selecting “Dirty”. “Liam, truth or dare?”

                “Truth,” Liam replied quickly.

                “No, no truths. Let’s just do dare or dare,” Micaela said before Harry could read out he question.

                “Demanding little thing,” Louis teased making her blush. “But I agree. No truths until the dares start getting old.”

                “Alright,” Harry conceded with a smirk. “Dare or dare, Liam?”

                The boy the question was aimed at rolled his eyes. “Well, I don’t really have much of a choice do I. Dare.”

                “Give a lap dance to the first person on your left for two minutes while the group watches.”

                Liam’s face turned bright red while Louis, the future receiver of the lap dance, grinned. He sat up, stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back on his arms. “C’mon, Liam. Dance for me.” He patted his lap as an invitation.

                “I don’t even know how to give a lap dance,” Liam mumbled.

                “Get on with it, Liam,” Zayn encouraged. “You’ve never been this shy before.”

                “Cause he’s always on the receiving end,” Louis observed. “He clams up when he has to give anything.”

                Liam groaned, dragging himself over to Louis. “I honestly don’t know what I’m doing,” he muttered.

                “I’ll walk you through it,” Louis said sounding like a lap dance should be one of those things a person just knows how to do. “Straddle me.” Harry didn’t think Liam’s face could get any redder. “Now move your hips…no, Liam, you’ve got to relax…that’s more like it…ever thought of actually doing this professionally? Could definitely pay the bills…well, maybe a nice dinner…at McDonald’s…”

                “Time!” Harry called in a  moment when he wasn’t on his back laughing.

                Liam rolled away from a smug Louis with his hands covering his face.

                “There, there Liam,” Micaela soothed.

                “I’d prefer if we never mention this again.”

                “That’s in the rules,” Micaela stated with a nod.

                “I didn’t think this game had any rules,” Louis quipped.

                “Next time I talk to your sisters I’ll be sure to tell them about how hard Niall had you when he was talking dirty,” Harry teased.

                Louis scowled and tossed a pillow at the boy with curly hair.

 

                She twisted against a warm body as she tried to get comfortable again after being slightly roused by footsteps. She was further woken by low lights coming on. She extracted herself from the heap of warm bodies she’d been buried in to go see what was happening in the kitchen. “Haz?” she croaked as her sleepy eyes tried to focus.

                “You’re supposed to be asleep, babe,” he said.

                “I felt a sudden chill when one of my blankets walked away.”

                “Sorry,” Harry said without chuckling like he normally would at her attempt of a joke.

                Micaela walked further into the kitchen. “Harry, will you please tell me what’s wrong?”

                Harry grimaced. “It’s nothing, kitten.”

                Micaela huffed, obviously not satisfied. “Let’s play a game. I’ll tell you something personal and you tell me something personal. That way we’re both vulnerable.”

                “I don’t know.”

                “You don’t have to tell me what’s bothering you, but we can do some late night bonding.”

                Before Harry could say anything, a half-asleep Zayn stumbled in. “What are you two doing up?” he rasped.

                “Bonding,” Micaela hummed as Zayn gave her a chaste kiss. “Go back to sleep.” Zayn nodded, stumbling back to the living room.

                “You start,” Harry mumbled.

                “I cut my wrists when Zayn started dating Wendy. I didn’t tell anyone because I was embarrassed.”

                Harry frowned. “My problems aren’t–”

                Micaela cut him off. “You’re problems and feelings are just as important as mine.”

                “I miss Shelby,” Harry admitted. “I want what you and Zayn have…I’m…I don’t know…scared?”

                Micaela walked up to Harry. She wrapped her arms around Harry’s waist, tucking her head beneath his chin. “You have to give yourself some more time. It was two years that you were with Shelby. Take your time. You’re young.”

                That brought a smile to Harry’s lips. “You’re younger than me.”

                “I have an old soul,” she intoned.

                “Who told you that?”

                “Aunt Millie dated a psychic for a week. Got a free reading.”

 


	61. Niall and Delilah

## Niall and Delilah

                Niall smiled pleasantly at the girl in the aisle a few feet ahead of him. She was looking over the selection of Campbell’s soups. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and her jeans looked particularly tight, hugging her body in all the right places. She glanced back at him, returning his smile. Choosing her soup, she turned back to her cart slow enough so the lights made something sparkled on her left hand. Niall was amused. She was engaged; lucky bastard.

                “Enjoying the view?”

                Niall nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice behind him. Soup girl turned the corner at the end of the aisle effectively leaving his sight. He turned to the brunette behind. “What?”

                Delilah raised an eyebrow slowly as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Were you enjoying the view?”

                Niall’s smile instantly fell into a scowl. “Not this again,” he grumbled.

                “You were checking her out when I was only away for a minute to get something from the last aisle. How do you think that makes me feel?”

                Niall did not want to publicly repeat this argument. It’d only been two days since he thought they’d discussed this. He’d been looking at some girl who’d walked by their table when they’d gone to lunch. So it hadn’t been his smoothest move, but they’d had a long, heated discussion over the incident. “I know it makes you act like a jealous bitch.” As soon as he said that, he knew it wasn’t his best life decision.

                “And if you caught me ogling some guy, you wouldn’t turn into a jealous bastard?”

                “I wasn’t ogling her.”

                Delilah’s other eyebrow rose to join the other. “So burning the curve of her ass into your mind while almost drooling isn’t ogling?”

                “I wasn’t drooling.”

                Delilah snorted. “Only because I interrupted your fantasy.”

                Niall turned away from her, pushing the cart along. “I liked you better when we weren’t dating,” he mumbled.

                “What was that?” she hissed.

                “Nothing,” Niall snapped, his tone startling the grandmother who’d entered the aisle at an inopportune time.

                “If you’ve got something to add to this conversation, Niall, please share with the group.”

                “I liked you better when we weren’t dating,” he repeated loud and clear.

                Delilah positively glared at him. She placed the salad dressing she’d gotten in the cart before she stormed out of the aisle. Niall groaned inwardly. This was supposed to be a nice little errand run before going on a nice date. Niall was going to have to grovel if he wanted Delilah to ever talk to him, but there was some truth to what he’d said. Delilah had been great when they’d been best friends. She’d objectify women with him, and he’d objectify men with her. They could talk for hours, whereas now they struggled to keep a decent conversation going.

                He abandoned the cart and went out to the parking lot. Delilah wasn’t by the car so he assumed she’d walked back to her place. The store was close enough for that. Niall got in the car and pulled out of the lot towards Delilah’s house. He let himself in, but couldn’t’ find her. He paused in her room, pulling out his phone to call her.

                “Hello?”

                “Where are you?”

                “I’m at Nolan’s.”

                Niall felt hot anger boil in his chest. Of all the places she could go she had to go to Nolan’s. She knew Niall didn’t like him. Niall wasn’t jealous of Nolan; Nolan had nothing on him. Niall didn’t like Nolan because Nolan was so obviously crazy about Delilah and attempted to get Delilah away from Niall every chance he had.

                “Are you jealous?”  
                Niall rolled his eyes. He knew what this was about. “No.”

                “You’re not?” Delilah was unable to hide her confusion.

                “Nope. You want to make me jealous?” Niall asked.

                “Well, yeah. That was the goal,” Delilah said now sounding wholly unconfident.

                Niall smirked. “Then get laid, D. Nolan will have no problem helping you with that. We’ll talk again when you’re not so uptight and can think clearly.”

                “Fuck you,” Delilah hissed.

                “He’s got nothing on me. You’ll be crawling back to me eventually.”

 


	62. Aunt Millie

****

## Aunt Millie

                The phone was ringing at an unbelievably late hour Thursday night. Aunt Millie shifted under the arms of the good doctor who grumbled about her staying put. “Let me up, love. The phone is ringing.” The good doctor rolled over, letting Aunt Millie up. She pulled on an old college hoodie and padded across the room to the phone. “Hello?” she asked after she stepped out into the hall.

                “I’m surprised you finally answer.”

                Aunt Millie was now wide awake. “Keith?” she squeaked.

                “The one and only,” he chuckled darkly. “Is Micaela there?”

                “No. She’s not. I’m pretty sure we’ve had this conversation before.”

                “Times change, Millie, times change. I’m sober now.”

                “That’s wonderful news.”

                “Will you tell Micaela to get on the next flight home?”

                “She’s not here, Keith. And even if she was, I’d never send her back.”

                “Why the hell not? She’s _my_ daughter.”

                “Because if she ran here, she obviously didn’t want to be there.”

                “She’s a fucking child, Millie. She doesn’t make her own decisions.”

                “Goodbye Keith.” Aunt Millie hung up the phone as Micaela’s dad started shouting so loud Aunt Millie didn’t need the phone to hear him. The good doctor had woken up in the middle of the phone call and was sitting up, his curiosity piqued.

                “Who was that?” he asked.

                Millie ran a hand through her hair. “It’s a long story.” She didn’t say anything else before she left the room. She stood in the doorway of Micaela’s bedroom. Zayn and Micaela were curled up in the middle of her bed. Aunt Millie’s heart ached at the thought of losing her niece after all the time they’ve been together. She didn’t want to think of the consequences of sending her back new that her dad was sober. With a firm nod to herself, Aunt Millie returned to her bedroom.

                “It’s got something to do with your niece, doesn’t it?” the doctor asked as Millie climbed back into bed.

                “What does?”

                “The phone call.”

                “Oh, yeah. It was her dad.”

                “Why’d you lie to him?”

                Aunt Millie looked up to him, realizing she’d probably already said too much. “He’s a drunk. It’s too complicated for a late night conversation.”

 


	63. Five Boys and a Girl

## Five Boys and a Girl

                Micaela leaned forward from her seat in Zayn’s lap, resting her elbows on the driver’s and passenger’s seats. “Do you see him yet?”

                Louis and Harry turned to her with smiles. “You’d know if we’d seen him, monkey butt,” Louis said.

                “I can’t believe that’s stuck around so long,” Liam murmured.

                “There he is!” Micaela shouted pointing at the bright blond head of hair floating towards them.

                “He just had to bring the guitar,” Louis muttered as he pulled up to the curb. “My car isn’t as big as he seems to think it is.”

                Liam hopped out to help Niall put his bags in and then both of them squeezed into the back seat, sandwiching Micaela and Zayn between them.

                “Hi, lads,” Niall greeted.

                “Hey, Niall,” they chorused.

                “What have I missed?” Niall asked as Louis pulled away from the airport.

                “Louis had a date last night with an actual girl,” Harry said.

                “What other kind of date is there?” Micaela asked.

                Harry and Louis shared a look but didn’t elaborate.

                “I think Wendy is back to pining over that Peter kid,” Zayn said.

                Niall looked at him funny. He wasn’t really sure how he was supposed to react to that information. “I’m sorry…?” Niall said, but it sounded more like a question.

                Zayn shrugged. “Doesn’t matter much to me. I just wish she’d stop texting me like we were friends.”

                Niall’s confusion was evident at this point. Micaela smiled and leaned in with a conspiratorial smile and a whispered explanation that Zayn was no longer dating Wendy. Niall grinned. “Congrats, mate. Welcome back to the single life.”

                Louis snorted from the front seat. “He’s already left that life again.”

                “Oh?” Niall asked Zayn.

                Micaela answered for the black haired boy. “I’ve got him wrapped around my little finger.”

                Niall grinned while Zayn rolled his eyes.

                “She really does, though,” Louis said.

                “It’s pathetic really,” Harry commented.

                “Like you two are any better,” Liam cut in.

                “You’re practically worse than I am, Li,” Zayn said.

                “So it’s settled,” Micaela chirped. “I’m spoiled rotten by all of you.” After a beat of silence, Micaela began talking fast. “Wait till you see the house, Nialler…”

 

                Aunt Millie dragged the final suitcase out to the car as Louis pulled up. SH estopped to greet them, “Hello lady and gents. Welcome back, Niall.”

                “Where are you off to?” Micaela asked. Aunt Millie hadn’t mentioned any trips. “Your hair is purple. What happened?”

                “The good doctor and I had a rough spat. Ended very messily. I’m off to India. Going to fill my mind with new and exciting things.” Aunt Millie declined help as she threw her suitcase into the trunk of her car. “I’ll be back eventually. Might pop in for Christmas and then pop out. I’ll keep you posted.” She picked Micaela up in a tight hug, kissed each boy’s cheek, reminded them of the rules, and then she sped off. The six of them watched with mild interest.

                “I though she really liked him,” Micaela murmured.

                “One argument shouldn’t be enough to end a relationship,” Zayn said.

                “Maybe it was really bad,” Niall offered.

                Without further comment on Aunt Millie’s sudden flight, the six of them went inside.

                “What’s been up with you, Niall?” Harry asked.

                “D and I have been fighting,” Niall said as if there was no emotional consequence, as if it was a black and white fact.

                “Oh no,” Micaela sympathized. “I’m sorry, Niall. Is everything okay now?”

                Niall grimaced. “Not exactly. I left on a somewhat sour note.”

                “You’ll work it out,” Liam said. “You’re always been close whether you were dating or not.”

                “Thanks, dad,” Niall said with a smirk.

                Liam smiled, glad to see Niall smiling rather than frowning.

                “So when did you all put up the decorations?” Niall asked.

                “Forever ago,” Liam said. “Like early November.”

                “I guess she won that one,” Niall said as Micaela took a seat on the couch.

                “I did,” she said. “Liam was reluctant but he gave in and there was really nothing else to do.”

                “That’s a shame. I always like decorating,” Niall mused.

                Micaela giggled. “Sure you do. Aren’t you always the first one to mention how long it always takes?”

                “Because you take forever to decide where things go,” shot back.

                Micaela stuck her tongue out at him and Niall stuck his out in retaliation.

 


	64. The Boys

## The Boys

                Zayn slowly walked down the stairs after putting Micaela in her bed. She’d fallen asleep as the night waxed on. The five of them always had a lot of energy when they first got together. The amount of energy drinks they’d consumed probably hadn’t helped. Niall had his guitar out and was strumming an Irish song the others didn’t know the words to. Niall switched between singing along and just playing.

                “Play something we all know,” Harry requested.

                Zayn flopped on the couch, reaching into the side table drawer for his sketch book.

                “How’d your mom take the whole spray-paint-your-room thing?” Louis asked as Niall decided on a new song.

                “Not good,” Zayn murmured letting Niall’s song choice lull him away. He was only slightly aware of the others singing along before he realized he would randomly join them when his pencil wasn’t moving against the paper.

                “We should totally be a band,” Harry chuckled. “We don’t have to do anything with it, but we should sing more.”

                “We sing all the time,” Louis said.

                It was evident in all their aces that the idea of a band was even more appealing than the first time it was brought up. Each of them had a little smile on their faces.

                “What would we sing though? Would we just cover others?” Niall asked.

                Harry frowned. “At the–”

                Liam interrupted, “I, uh, actually have some songs I’ve written. Well they’re more like lyrics–I’m not really a music person.” His heart felt like it was going to pop out of his chest. He wanted nothing more than to be a band.

                “Do you have them with you?” Harry asked.

                “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get them.” Liam scrambled over to his overnight bag. His hands shook as he pulled out his notebook. Would they like them? Liam was certain his heart was going to stop as Harry took his notebook. The curly haired boy completely immersed himself in the book, concentrating with a slight frown and crinkled brow. Liam sat on his knees worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Louis nudged him with his foot, offering Liam a reassuring smile. Harry raised his green eyes from the pages with an almost evil grin on his lips.

                “You got any more of these?”

                Liam shook his head.

                “Damn. Was hoping you had more.”

                Zayn snatched the notebook from Harry. His face remained passive as he reviewed Liam’s work. The writer of the songs was practically ripping his hair out with nerves. Why he was so nervous as his best friends read his songs was beyond him. He really wanted them to like them though. He really wanted them to be a band.

                “Harry, have some mercy on the poor boy,” Louis said when it was apparent Harry was just going to sit and stare at Liam with a coy little smile.

                It was Zayn who actually put poor Liam out of his misery. “Li, these are brilliant.”

                Liam almost cried he was so happy someone finally said something. “Really?”

                “Really. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

                “Oh good.” Liam’s body practically melted as it relaxed.

                “Give it here,” Louis said taking the notebook. After a few quick glances, he nodded his approval before tossing the book to Niall. “Can you play something and Liam can you sing?”

                Niall stuck his tongue out and then closed is eyes. He picked at the strings of his guitar. Liam sat next to the chair with his notebook propped up on his knees. He and Niall started singing. “I’ve tried playing it cool…but when I’m looking at you…I can’t even be brave…’cause you make my heart race.”

                Harry, Louis, and Zayn were all grinning broadly. “This is going to be good,” Louis hummed. “Let’s be a band.”

                Liam put the book on the coffee table and the others gathered around. “Are we all sure about this?” Liam asked. They each looked at each other, weighing their own pros and cons. Each of them began nodding, Zayn joining in last. “Brilliant.” Liam, his inner-leader peeking out, started with one of his older songs. He scribbled names next to verses, explained random things about the song, and helped the others understand what he wanted the song to be.

                “If we’re going to be a proper band, we’re going to need name. What should it be?”

                This brought quiet to the room. What were they going to be called? The five of them looked at each other.

                “Never thought about that,” Liam mumbled.

                “Really? You wrote the songs and planned everything else, but you didn’t think of a name?” Harry asked.

                “Well, I didn’t’ really think it would ever happen,” Liam said.

                Harry got up to start pacing. Four pairs of eyes watched him silently, which was going to give them whiplash since he was pacing in a circle.

                “Change directions so you don’t get dizzy, Haz,” Louis said.

                “Hush, Boo. I’m thinking,” Harry snapped.

                “Micaela always calls us ‘the boys’. We could use that,” Niall said.

                “We won’t be boys forever,” Zayn said.

                “We’re barely boys now,” Liam said.

                Louis offered his two cents, “She also calls us ‘her idiots’.”

                “The name of our band shouldn’t be self-deprecating,” Liam declared.

                “You just don’t like feeling that you’re not as smart as you think you are,” Louis returned. “Haz, you’re making me dizzy. Change your direction.”

                “Stop interrupting! Maybe I like going in one direction. Maybe I think better in one direction!” Harry practically shouted.

                Zayn cut in before Louis could continue, “Can we not shout, please? Micaela’s a light sleeper.”

                “Maybe it’d be easier to come up with a name if we knew what we sounded like,” Niall suggested. “Let me see that. He snatched the songbook from Liam. Niall strummed through a couple more songs before Harry jumped on Louis.

                “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”

                Louis shoved the boy with curly hair off him. “You’re so bony.”

                They all paused when Micaela stumbled into the living room. She seemed to be half-asleep as she stepped over Harry’s sprawled form and into Zayn’s lap. Her fingers curled into Zayn’s shirt as she settled down. “Bad dream,” she mumbled as explanation.

                “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable upstairs, baby girl?” Zayn whispered.

                “You trying to get rid of me?”

                “No, but we have a surprise for you and you’re not ready for it just yet. I’ll be up in a little bit.”

                Micaela groaned, but complied, crawling up to the stairs and back into bed.

                “What do you have, Harry?” Liam asked.

                “Our name!” Harry practically squealed.

                “What is it?” Zayn asked.

                “One Direction,” Harry giggled. “Because we’re only going to want our band to succeed and so that’s only one direction. So that’s our name.”

                “That’s very deep, Harold,” Louis said with a nod and smile, though the others caught his teasing tone.

                Harry stuck his tongue out before Liam spoke up, “I think it’s fine.” Zayn and Niall nodded along.

                Louis shrugged. “As long as it’s always explained that way and not that you were going in a single direction while pacing in a circle for thinking purposes.”


	65. The Families and a Christmas Tree

## The Families and a Christmas Tree

                “Ladies and gentlemen!” Micaela announced grandly from her wobbly position standing on the armchair. She smiled at the faces turned toward her. “May I present the best band in the land. A one-night-only show! Singing the Christmas classic ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’, ladies and gentlemen please welcome One Direction!”

                “Quite dramatic one she is,” Niall murmured as the boys grouped themselves by the tree. They looked at their gathered families and began to play and sing. Micaela beamed at them and nodded her head to the beat. The boys were nervous at first, even if it was just their families. It would be obvious if their families were lying about their talent. Maybe they were really bad and Micaela was too nice to tell them.

                “Everyone’s dancing merrily in the new old fashioned way…” they sang as the song came to a close.

                “That was fantastic!”

                All eyes turned to the doorway where a tan Aunt Millie stood beaming and clapping her hands by the door. Micaela hopped off the chair and hugged her aunt before she leapt into Zayn’s arms and congratulated them on a wonderful performance. Aunt Millie greeted the other guests and the called all the kids to the tree.

                “I come bearing gifts as usual,” she said as she pulled a large bag towards the group gathered by the tree. She presented Zayn’s and Louis’ sisters with dolls, clothes, and jewelry. Everyone ‘oh’ed and ‘ah’ed over the pieces as it all glittered under the Christmas tree lights. “And if you refuse to your hair, use this to keep it out of your face,” Aunt Millie teased as she handed him a purple head scarf with gold embroidery. The boy immediately wrapped it in his hair with a grin. “Liam, I know how you love to be informed and all, so I got you this.” Aunt Millie handed him a book entitled _101 Things to Not Do When in India_. He chuckled as he thanked her. “Louis, you were a bit trickier to buy for, but I ended up getting this.” She handed him a soft, cream colored sweater, explaining how she bought it from a shaman when she was visiting the Himalayas. It was so soft, Louis rubbed it against his cheek like a cat might rub against its owner’s leg. “Oh, Niall, left yours out in the car.” Aunt Millie bounced out of and back into the house, returning with a much larger box than anyone was expecting. “Got you this,” Aunt Millie said. Niall removed the wrapping paper and lid to find a sitar inside. He stared in awe at the instrument, his speechless demeanor enough thanks for Aunt Millie. “Zayn, got this for you,” she said. She handed him a painting of the Taj Mahal. “Watched the guy paint it myself,” she told him. “And last, but not least, for you my dear.” Aunt Millie handed Micaela a box tied with a red ribbon. Her niece opened it almost reverently. Inside was a traditional sari. It was red and gold, one of the prettiest things Micaela had ever seen.

                “It’s beautiful,” Micaela breathed gently fingering the fabric.

                “Merry Christmas everybody!” Aunt Millie declared. She took a sniff and asked, “Is something burning?”

                Micaela and Harry snapped their attention to the kitchen, both exclaiming, “Dinner!” With flailing limbs and grunts of effort, they hurried to extricate themselves from the group to save the meal they’d spent most of the day preparing. The others look at each other with similar, mildly amused expressions that all morphed into full grins when they heard Micaela muse, “Oh my poor biscuits.”

 


	66. Six Friends and a Walk

## Six Friends and a Walk

                Zayn groaned as soft lips drew him from his sleep. Warm breath brushed his as the gentle lips switched from kissing to giggling. He wrapped his arms around the warm body, half on him already and pulled it totally on top of him. He was just starting to return the kisses when they were rudely interrupted.

                “Get up! Get up!” Louis shouted.

                Micaela shrieked rolling away from Zayn and wrapping the sheets around her. Zayn shouted and rolled to shield Micaela from Louis. Louis  had his hand over his eyes so he couldn’t see anything. A camera click had Zayn and Micaela shouting at Louis who’d been joined by Harry, “Get out!”

                “Are you up?” Louis asked hand still over his eyes.

                “Yes,” Zayn snapped.

                “Louis look,” Harry giggled.

                Louis peeked through his fingers at the developing polaroid in Harry’s hands. “I always knew Zayn had a nice bum,” Louis said. A pillow was flung at the two of them which prompted them to leave the room before Micaela got her hands on one of her books.

                “I hate them,” Zayn muttered as he rolled off of the bed.

                “No you don’t,” Micaela said.

                “Yes I do,” Zayn argued.

                Micaela pulled on a pair of her own jeans and one of Zayn’s shirts. He watched her move around the room as he slowly got dressed. She was about to pull her hair back, but Zayn stopped her saying, “Can  you leave it down today?”

                Micaela smiled at him. “Sure.” She ran her hands through it a couple times. “Let’s go before they start getting antsy.”

                They interlaced their fingers as they descended the stairs. The other four boys were sprawled in the living room chatting aimlessly.

                “Took you long enough,” Louis muttered with a smile.

                “I tried to stop them I promise,” Liam said.

                “It’s fine, Li,” Micaela assured him.

                “Do we want to go for the _X-Factor_?” Niall asked abruptly changing subjects. Everyone stared at him.

                “What?” Zayn asked.

                “The last time we brought up being a band, we mentioned trying out and I know the applications are due soon and I was thinking we could at least try it, you know?” Niall explained.

                Louis smiled, recalling his earlier fantasies, “Just picture it…playing at a coliseum…a countdown starts and as it hits zero, lights turn on us as thousands of people scream…”

                “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome One Direction!” Micaela announced in her best male voice that sound like she was suffering from laryngitis.

                “How is everyone doing tonight?” Harry asked using the remote as a microphone playing out Louis’ fantasy. “We sure all glad you all could come out tonight. Are you all ready for a great show tonight?”

                Louis stood up, taking the “microphone” form Harry. “What shall we start with tonight, lads?”

                “We could tell jokes,” Niall suggested.

                “I don’t think all these people came to hear us tell bad jokes, Niall,” Louis admonished.

                “Well, they’re going to hear some anyway,” Niall said with an affirmative nod. “Knock, knock.”

                Louis rolled his eyes, but went along with it. “Who’s there?”

                “Interrupting cow.”

                “Interrupting c–”

                “Moo!” Niall shouted before he rolled off the couch giggling.

                Louis rolled his eyes again. “Pathetic.”

                Micaela was giggling herself. “I don’t suggest you start your show with that one.”

                “What do you suggest, monkey butt?”

                “It was all good up until Niall tried to tell a joke. Instead, just have him start playing a song and sing.”

                “I like what she said,” Zayn said.

                “I would have never guessed that,” Louis drawled sarcastically.

                Zayn stuck his tongue out only to have that moment caught on film by Harry.

                “What’s with the camera, Haz?” Micaela asked.

                “Well, it’s our last day all together, you know, before school starts up and Niall leaves, so I thought I’d document it on this camera I found in my sister’s closet.”

                “Can I see the picture you took upstairs?” she asked.

                Harry beamed as he handed it to her. Zayn muttered something about the embarrassment connected to the image of him tangled in the sheets, but Micaela enjoyed the view before returning the picture to Harry.

                “So what are we going to do today?” Liam asked.

                Micaela looked outside to see it actually wasn’t raining. “Let’s go on a walk. I want to get out of the house for a bit.”

                She was met with no protest, so they pulled on shoes and jackets before venturing outside. Zayn kept a firm grip on Micaela’s hand as their group headed towards the park. There were paths through the trees that were often traveled by couples looking for a quiet place to hide away from the world for a bit. The trees absorbed the sound, so the six of them could be as loud as they wanted and not disturb anybody.

                Harry snapped a few pictures of little kids swinging on the playground before he fell in at the back of the group. His first focus was on the trees and then on his friends as they messed around. Micaela started telling a story with a loud voice and wild hand gestures. He snapped a few of her from the back. Whatever her story was about had the others laughing. Louis picked up  a little pebble and threw it at the back of Micaela’s head as her story came to an end.

                “Lou!” she shrieked.

                “It wasn’t me. It was Niall,” Louis protested.

                Micaela put her hands on her hips when she stopped walking to glare at him. “Dad…” she whined.

                “Don’t throw things, Lou,” Liam said in a monotone a few feet ahead of them.

                Louis stopped walking to gape at her. He lunged as if to “attack”, but Micaela jumped out of the way and hid by Zayn. Zayn laughed at her, pulling her against him.

                “What will you do when, and if, we get famous?” Niall asked Micaela.

                “Blackmail you and take all of your money,” she said evilly.

                “You would? What would you blackmail us with?” Niall asked.

                “I’ve got some very personal dirt on all of you. I have a lot of options, but I think the videos we saved we delete during Dare or Dare would be a good place to start.”

                They couldn’t argue with her there. Those videos would make her some serious money.

                “But you wouldn’t blackmail us. You don’t have an evil bone in your body. Besides, why would you blackmail your best friends and your boyfriend?” Zayn said.

                “Maybe if you make me really mad something will accidentally slip,” Micaela warned teasingly.

                “You’re a subject of most of those videos, young lady,” Liam warned.

                Micaela scowled at Liam’s back. “I hate when he’s right most of the time,” she mumbled.

                “But you are right the rest of the time,” Zayn assured her.

                Harry bounced forward so he could get pictures of his friends from the front. He got one of Niall’s surprised face when Louis made a grab at his butt. He snapped a few of Micaela jumping on Liam’s back.

                “Onward and forward my brave warriors!” She shouted, pointing forward down the pass.

                “Ugh. When did you get so heavy?” Liam grunted.

                Micaela gasped and smacked the back of Liam’s head. “You just earned the top spot on my blackmail list.”

                “Now, now, I’m sure he was just joking,” Zayn said as he lifted her off Liam’s back and set her down next to him. He offered her his arm which she accepted. He brushed his lips against her temple until they were close enough to her ear so she could hear him whisper, “I love you,” just as Harry’s camera clicked.


	67. Zayn, Micaela, and the night before

## Zayn, Micaela, and the Night Before

                In a fit of giggles, she threw her hand out with the intent of hitting him, but she missed, instead hitting the frame holding the picture of them in the park. The clatter of the toppled décor had them pausing. She twisted in his arms to right the frame then settled back to her original spot beneath him. “I like that picture more than the one of us going to that ridiculous costume party,” she murmured.

                “Yeah? I like the one Doniya took of us at Christmas.”

                She hummed as she compared the two in her head. “I still like the park one more.”

                He brought his lips down to hers in a slow, gentle movement that had her melting in his arms. Her legs wrapped around his hips as his hands pushed his torso off of hers slightly. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her wear her own shirt. Tonight she had on his gray t-shirt and a pair of black pajama shorts. He shifted himself down so his mouth hovered over the hem of the shirt. He caught the fabric in his teeth and pulled it slowly up. She helped him by arching her back off the bed and stretching her arms out before sliding them out of the sleeves. Releasing the fabric, His lips came back to hers for a brief moment, but they were working against her jaw and throat before she could kiss him back. She shifted her hips against his making him groan. His hand slid up her side to cup her breast which caused her to gasp. He smiled down at her, already missing her though she was in his arms.

                “Don’t go there right now,” she murmured before pecking his lips. “Stay here with me.”

                He nodded, gulping down the words _I miss you_ as he kissed her slowly, a deep caress that left them both breathless and wanting more. He slipped his hands below the waist band of her shorts, pulling the silky fabric off of her. He again admired her which made her impatient. She prodded him with her foot when she just couldn’t take it anymore.

                “What do you want baby girl?” he asked.

                “You. Just want you,” she answered.

                It all moved very quickly after that. He had her flush against him with her mouth beneath his before she could blink. Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist so he couldn’t get away from her again. She tugged at his shirt and pushed at his pants. He chuckled at her obvious impatience to which she whined, “I’m naked and you’re not. It’s not fair.”

                “Are you going to do something about it?”

                She rolled her eyes, but pulled his shirt off anyway, marveling as she always dis when they were like this. He kissed her forehead as she looked him over. She started pushing his pants off with her hands, but used her feet when her hands couldn’t reach. This of course had them in giggles as she unsuccessfully tried to get them off. She hugged, “ Just get them off.”

                He got them off quickly much to her chagrin, but he distracted her by nipping at her jaw. Her fingers twisted in his hair lightly tugging earning a muffled growl from him. His hands, feeling so large against her small frame, cupped her breasts, squeezing slightly. She tilted her head back as a moan passed her lips. Again her hips shifted against his. “Please, Zayn,” she begged. "We don’t have time for teasing.”

                From where he’d been mouthing at her chest, he lifted his face to her with an evil grin, “Says who?”

                “You didn’t even want to do this,” she grunted, her impatience coming out again.

                “I must have you quite desperate. You’re not usually this pushy.” She blushed, then scrambled for a grip as he dragged her with him as he sat up. “But, you’re right, I wasn’t originally up for this and I probably should at least try for some sleep.”

                She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before spluttering, “What? N-no! Zayn, you can’t–”

                “I can’t what, baby girl?”

                She groaned as she dropped her head on his shoulder. Her hips pulsed against his abdomen wanting and begging for what she couldn’t ever seem to bring herself to ask for. “You can’t just…you want to as much as I do.” She sucked on his throat as his hands stilled her hips.

                “How do you know that?” he breathed.

                He felt her smirk against his skin. Her hand left his shoulder, her finger trailing lazily over his skin down to almost touching where he suddenly desperately needed contact. “Your body doesn’t lie.”

                He hummed as an arm snaked around her waist and a hand gripped her hip. SH sucked in a breath as he guided her onto him. Fully in her, he relished in the quick puffs of air hitting him as she tried to catch her breath. “Ready, baby?”

                “Mmhmm,” she hummed. He helped her start moving until she muttered, “Okay, okay, okay,” and continued at her own pace. Their skin rubbed together deliciously and their lips met hungrily. He kept an arm around her torso to keep her close while his other settled around her shoulders so his hand could tangle in her hair. She picked up the pace, tearing her lips away from his as she gasped after coming down particularly hard. She rolled her hips against his without lifting up. His eyes rolled back in his head as pleasure washed over him. She began sucking on his ear lobe. Her arms wrapped under his so she could grip his back. Ever so gently, she began to fall back, bringing him with her. “C’mon Zayn,” she breathed.

                He peppered her face with kissed before beginning long, slow thrusts that had her eyes rolling back in her head. Her nails left little red lines on his back. His pace did not take long to quicken causing her head to loll against the pillows. A little cry left her as she craned her neck for a kiss. Their lips barely brushed together before she pulled away with a louder moan. Her legs quivered around his waist and her grip on his back tightened as her orgasm overcame her. He worked her through it, drawing his name from her lovely mouth.

                “I love you,” he breathed as he stilled, coming in her.

 


	68. Micaela, Zayn, and the Birthday Wish

## Micaela, Zayn, and the Birthday Wish

                “Do you want to know what my birthday wish was?” Micaela murmured.

                They were cuddled under the blankets. Micaela was more on Zayn than she was on the bed, but he didn’t mind. He just held her close while drawing a circular pattern along her arm similar to the one she was drawing over his chest.

                “What was this wish of yours, and are you sure you want to tell me?” Zayn whispered. “It might not come true.”

                She grinned up at him. “It already has come true.”

                “Has it now?”

                Micaela nodded. “I wished we’d be together.”

                Zayn smiled, squeezing her shoulders.

                She placed gentle kisses along his chest. “Almost gave up on birthday wishes when you came and told us you asked Wendy out.”

                “I was dumb. I’m sorry about that.”

                “Don’t be. It all worked out in the end.”

                A comfortable silence followed a comforting pat on the chest. He rested with his eyes closed allowing her to look at him without feeling odd as he looked back. Part of her wanted to tell him to back out of One Direction so they could stay under the blanket forever. But if she did that, the effort to get the application in would be wasted. She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that Zayn would be gone for a long time.

                “What was that for?” he asked cracking one eye open.

                “Nothing important. I’m just going to miss you,” she mumbled hiding her face in his chest. It was silly to be bringing this up. If she said it anymore, Zayn’s doubts and worries would resurface and she would have to convince him all over again. She didn’t have the energy for that right now.

                “I’m going to miss you too, baby girl, but it’s okay. We’re together even when we’re apart.”

                “Will you wake me up when you leave so I can say goodbye properly?”

                “I won’t say goodbye, but I’ll say something similar.”

                She wasn’t sure what that meant, but she nodded anyway, trusting him.

                A thought occurred to him as he lay there with her flush against him. It was completely irrational and unpredictable, but it was now keeping him wide awake.

                “Micaela, hypothetically–if we even made it that far–if I asked you to marry me, would you say yes?”

                Micaela snorted. “No.”

                Zayn was taken aback. “Really?”

                “Really, really.”

                “Why?” The question came out more pained than he intended.

                She shifted so she was sitting up looking down at him. “Because my parents were fun people before they got married. Aunt Millie told me all these stories about them. Then they got married and everything changed. My mom just up and left. My dad became a drunk. Everything fell apart. I never want that to happen to me so I never want that to I’m never going to get married. If you wanted, I’d spend the rest of my life with you, have your kids…lots of them if that’s what you wanted…just no marriage.”

                Zayn watched her intently. It was too big of a question for them to handle right now.

                “Why do you ask?”

                He shrugged. “Just curious.”

                She smiled lovingly down at him. “Let’s try to get some sleep,” she whispered with a kiss.

                Zayn smiled at Micaela as she turned her head away from him.

                “Don’t…be here with me,” he murmured.

                She nodded firmly, turning to look at him. “Zayn, I-I-…”

                “Shh, love. I know. Why don’t we get some sleep like you mentioned?”

                Micaela nodded again, settling next to him with her head on his chest. She fell asleep with three words left on her lips.

                                                  

                He slowly, carefully extricated himself from the warm blankets he was under. He froze when she stirred slightly, but she didn’t fully wake up. Certain she wasn’t going to wake up, he moved around in the dim light of the night light pulling on clothes. Kneeling next to the sleeping girl, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. He glanced at the nightstand. As he did, another idea struck him. He opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a pair of scissors. Taking the park picture from the frame, he carefully cut it in half. He left her the half with him in it while keeping the half with her in it for himself.

                “I’ll see you later, baby girl,” he murmured, stroking her hair away from her face. Her eyes fluttered open; he didn’t want her to wake up. His will to go would crumble and he’d crawl back into bed and never leave. He began singing her Billy Joel lullaby, “Goodnight, my angel…time to close your eyes…and save these questions for another day….I promised I would never leave you…and you should always know…wherever you may go…no matter where you are…I will never be far away…”

 

                She woke suddenly, drenched in a cold sweat with a racing heart. She only ever…

                Micaela sat up with a sharp gasp. She reached blindly to her side, but the sheets were cold. Slowly, she turned to look at the empty bed next to her. Where was he? What time was it? Maybe he was just going to the bathroom, but she couldn’t hear him shuffling around at all. The only sound she could seem to hear was an echo of her Billy Joel lullaby. She ran a shaky hand through her hair. Where was he? Where was Zayn? Why hadn’t he said goodbye? What had she done wrong?

 


	69. 3 Months Later...Micaela

## Micaela

                She stepped out of the now cold shower once she finally realized the water was no longer hot. She toweled off slowly, careful of her raw wrists. The phone was ringing downstairs, but she didn’t find any reason for her to answer it. Why even bother? But what if… Wrapping the towel around herself, Micaela went downstairs and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

                It was only Aunt Millie, now running around Indonesia. She was just calling to see how she was doing. Micaela offered her bland answers before Aunt Millie launched into a story of one of her many adventures. Micaela nodded along even though her aunt couldn’t see.

                “I’ll let you go. I know your show is going to start soon. Love you. See you soon.” Aunt Millie hung up.

                Micaela went upstairs to pull on semi-clean clothes before returning to the living room and turned on the television. It was already on the proper channel. She stared without seeing at the evening news. Then the theme started and she was being welcomed to the X-Factor. Five boys stood on screen smiling out at the crowd. Her lips didn’t even twitch in a sad attempt to smile. She watched the other contestants with little interest. Then five boys stared singing, and there it was: the close up. Black hair and dark eyes. Her heart fluttered at the sight. Then the camera moved and he was gone again. She turned off the television after they sand. There was no point in watching anyone else.

                Someone was knocking on the door.

                Micaela pushed herself up and answered. She found herself staring at an oddly familiar pair of sneakers. Her head rose slowly, taking in the form of the bane of her existence. The man of her nightmares stood on the porch.

                “Hello, Micaela.”

                She blinked at him slowly. “Hey, dad.”

                “Pack a bag. We’re leaving.”

                “Okay,” she mumbled. What reason did she have to put up a fight? Aunt Millie wasn’t coming back and he was gone. She invited him in before she ran upstairs to throw a bag together. She didn’t need much. “I’m ready.”

                He stood from the couch, placing a firm grip on her arm as he guided her to the taxi. They were absolutely silent on the way to the airport and through security. She kept her bag tightly against her, her father having to yank it from her so he could put it in the overhead compartment. “Stop acting like a child,” he growled as he took his seat.

                “I am a child,” she reminded him.

                His fist flexed, but they were in public so she was safe. Micaela smirked as she rested her head on her hand. This was going to be joyous.

                “Hi, I’m Megan.”

                Micaela was startled by the voice next to her. She looked at the girl sitting across the aisle from her. She looked to be around Micaela’s age. “I’m Micaela.”

                Megan began talking quickly, but Micaela was slightly distracted by the plane taking off. It was the worst part of the flight in her opinion. She did start paying more attention when Megan asked. “Do you watch X-Factor?”

                “A little bit.”

                “What do you think of One Direction? Don’t you think they’re just the cutest?”

                Micaela stared at her a moment before muttering, “I hate One Direction.”

 


End file.
